HC Deb 31 July 1981 vol 9 cc638-9W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what is his estimate of the United Kingdom shale of world trade in manufactures in 1980 in terms of volume after taking account of the appreciation of the £ sterling; and how this compares with each of the years 1970 to 1979;

(2) whether he will bring up to date the information concerning the United Kingdom share of world trade in manufactures supplied in answer to a written question from the hon. Member for Grimsby on 29 July 1980, Official Report, c. 506.

Mr. Parkinson

The United Kingdom share of world trade in manufactures is normally measured in terms of the United Kingdom's share of main manufacturing countries' exports of manufactured goods. On this basis, the information is as follows:

United Kingdom Percentage Share of Main Manufacturing Countries*

Exports of Manufactures†
Seasonally adjusted
At current prices At estimated 1975 prices‡
1970 10.6 10.1
1971 10.8 10.2
1972 9.9 9.4
1973 9.1 9.4
1974 8.5 8.9
1975 9.1 9.1
1976 8.4 8.8
1977 9.0 9.1
1978 8.9 8.6
1979 9.1 8.2

At current prices At estimated 1975 prices‡
1980 9.7 7.9
1977 Q1 8.6 8.9
Q2 9.0 9.2
Q3 9.3 9.4
Q4 9.1 8.8
1978 Q1 9.3 8.8
Q2 8.8 8.8
Q3 8.9 8.6
Q4 8.7 8.4
1979 Q1 7.7 7.3
Q2 9.9 9.0
Q3 9.4 8.3
Q4 9.2 8.2
1980 Q1 9.4 8.0
Q2 9.8 8.0
Q3 9.7 7.9
Q4 9.8 7.9
Notes:
* The main manufacturing countries are taken as United Kingdom, Belgium/Luxembourg, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Canada and Japan. Together they account for about three quarters of world exports of manufactured goods.
† SITC sections 5 to 8.
‡ Figures on different base years have been linked as necessary to produce these estimates.

Imports as a percentage of exports Imports as a percentage of home production less exports
Broad sectors of Industry (SIC Order or MLH) 1968 1979 1980 1968 1979 1980
All manufactured products (1) (III to XIX) 97.3 107.9 96.8 20.6 34.6 34.2
Food manufacturing industries (211 to 229) 750.7 331.6 283.3 28.8 22.4 19.5
Food manufacturing industries (excluding animal and poultry foods) (211 to 229 (excluding 219)) 753.5 333.1 286.6 33.4 24.9 21.5
Chemicals and allied industries (V) 69.5 72.8 63.7 21.7 43.1 41.2
Metal manufacturing industries (VI) 130.0 125.4 135.4 22.4 37.6 55.4
Steel industries (311 and 312) 52.1 89.7 136.1 9.0 28.4 56.9
Mechanical engineering (1) (VII (excluding 342)) 51.4 64.7 55.5 24.2 43.9 46.1
Instrument engineering (VIII) 85.0 97.8 90.8 48.6 126.9 151.6
Electrical engineering (IX) 62.2 99.5 92.8 14.7 59.4 58.0
Vehicle industries excluding aerospace (XI excluding 383) 13.9 105.2 87.8 6.7 73.5 68.6
Metal goods industries n.e.s.(1) (XII) 40.9 78.1 78.0 5.6 15.6 17.6
Textile industries (1) (XIII) 79.0 118.3 105.9 17.0 49.4 53.5
Clothing and footwear (XV) 132.4 188.5 180.5 13.0 42.2 42.9
Made-up clothing industries (441 to 445 and 449) 140.0 165.3 161.8 12.0 39.3 40.0
Bricks, cement etc industries (461, 464 and 469) 70.6 58.8 49.2 3.6 5.2 4.5
Pottery and glass industries (462 and 463) 39.1 80.7 67.7 10.8 26.3 24.7
Timber industries (1) (XVII) 1663.4 515.6 455.1 37.0 38.7 36.4
Paper industries (481 to 484) 547.2 349.3 328.0 33.5 40.3 40.5

Note:

  1. (1) The calculation of the ratio is inappropriate for some industries. In such cases and where suitable data is not available, these have been omitted from the table. The industries concerned are "Other drink industries (MLH239)," "Tobacco (240", "Ordnance and small arms (342)", "Jewellery and precious metals (396)", "Textile finishing (423)". "Fur (433)", "Shop and office fitting (474)".
  2. (2) The percentages quoted relate to the principal products of the industrial sectors given which are quoted in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (rev. 1968).