Matches and Mechanical Lighters

HC Deb 21 December 1981 vol 15 cc271-2W

Mr. Hordern

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give figures for the sales of matches and mechanical lighters in the United Kingdom in the last five years and to the latest available date in 1981.

Mr. MacGregor

For matches and mechanical lighters the only information available relates to the quantity on which excise duty has been paid. For matches the figures are given in table 9.5 of the Monthly Digest of Statistics, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Comparable figures for the total number of lighters including both imported and home-produced is as follows:

	Thousands
1976	9,058
1977	10,405
1978	15,905
1979	19,162
1980	22,716