§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the trend in the export-import ratio between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community since 1970; and how this trend has been affected by trade in oil and oil products.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe information is as follows:
United Kingdom Trade with the European Community Export-Import Ratios Percentage OTS basis Total trade Total trade less oil and oil products* 1970 97 100 1971 94 91 1972 83 85 1973 77 78 1974 71 72 1975 73 75 1976 81 81 1977 86 84 1978 85 82 1979 86 79 1980 (January-November) 99 86 Note: * S1TC Division 33. Sources: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom United Kingdom Trade with the European countries.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of United Kingdom imports now come from other European Economic Community countries; and what was the comparable figure in 1970.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe information, on the preferred balance of payments bases, may be derived from table 5 of the article "United Kingdom trade in the third quarter" in "British Business" dated 12 December, 1980. A copy of this publication is available in the House of Commons Library.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what was the share of total European Economic Community manufactured imports taken by United Kingdom manufactured exports in 1970 and 1979;
(2) what was the share of world manufactured imports excluding those of the European Economic Community, taken by United Kingdom manufactured exports in 1970 and in 1979.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe United Kingdom share of world trade in manufactured goods is normally measured in terms of our share of the value of main manufacturing countries' exports of manufactured goods. These countries account for around three-quarters of world exports of manufactured goods. Using this definition, the United Kingdom share of exports to the European Community was 8 per cent. in 1970 and 9½ per cent. in 1979, while the corresponding figures for the rest of the world were 12 per cent. and 10 per cent.
§ Mr. Mellishasked the Secretary of State for Trade, in view of the proposal in the new general system of preference to allow a substantial increase on duty-free imports under tariff headings 41.02, 41.03, 41.04 and 41.05, if the Government will put pressure on the European Commission (a) to introduce an automatic review of the situation as soon as the level of general 348W system of preference imports reached any of the quotas on ceilings, adjusted for the entry of Greece, laid down for 1980, (b) to impose a global ceiling instead of individual ceilings for countries not listed in column (4) of the Community proposals and (c) failing (a) or (b) that the ceilings listed in column (9) of the general system of preference proposals be reduced by nine-tenths.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe revised generalised scheme of preferences for 1981, as agreed by the Council of Ministers on 16 December, fully meets point (a) in the question. Once tariff quota limits have been exhausted, Customs duties will be automatically reimposed. Once tariff ceilings have been reached, duties will be reapplied at the request of one or more member States. As regards point (b), we were not able to secure agreement to the retention of the concept of global ceilings. On point (c), reductions were made in the Commission's original proposal for ceilings and quotas for bovine cattle leather (tariff heading 41.02): these levels were cut by, respectively, 29 per cent. and 34 per cent.