HC Deb 17 June 1981 vol 6 cc375-6W
Mr. Best

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the annual increase in real terms of United Kingdom agricultural exports to the other member States of the European Community; and what proportion of total United Kingdom agricultural exports trade with the Community has accounted for in each year since 1970.

Mr. Peter Walker

The use of aggregate price indices to derive the volumes of United Kingdom agricultural exports would not give meaningful estimates since the commodities traded and their prices and price movements will vary for different parts of the world.

The major items of traded agricultural commodities are covered by Section 0 of the standard international trade classification. The proportions of the total value of United Kingdom exports of food, feed and live animals accounted for by exports to other members of the European Community in each year since 1970 are as follows:

Year Per cent.
1970 28.3
1971 36.3
1972 44.4
1973 49.3
1974 43.1
1975 51.6
1976 55.1
1977 58.1
1978 61.7
1979 63.7
1980 61.9

Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.