§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will analyse the reasons why the United Kingdom proportion of trade with the rest of the European Economic Community in 1980 was less than that of Greece prior to membership of the Community.
§ Mr. Parkinson[pursuant to the reply, 25 June 1981, c. 135]: The United Kingdom has a long history of sizeable trade with many parts of the world. The pattern of its trade has altered from time to time for varied economic and political reasons, the separate influences of which are difficult to disentangle. There is little purpose in comparing our trade links with those of a European country whose history, volume and diversity of trade is so different from ours.