§ Mr. Skeetasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for the most recent year for which figures are available the net earnings of British shipping.
§ Mr. ParkinsonI have been asked to reply.
In 1979 the international revenue of the United Kingdom shipping industry was £3.8 billion and expenditure abroad was £2.2 billion; the details were published in an article in British business on 19 December 1980. Information on domestic activities such as coasting and payments made in the United Kingdom to ports or crew is not collected and consequently an estimate of net earnings is not available.