§ Mr. Jayasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what percentage of United Kingdom total imports and exports, of imports and exports of manufactures, and of imports and exports of foodstuffs now arise in trade with the European Economic Community, the European Economic Community Six and the Commonwealth; and how these figures compare with the figures in 1972;
(2) what percentage of United Kingdom total trade, trade in manufactures and trade in foodstuffs is now done with the European Economic Community, the European Economic Community Six and the Commonwealth; how the Commonwealth is defined for this purpose; and how these percentages compare with the position in 1972.
§ Mr. Peter Rees[pursuant to the reply, 19 November 1981]: The information is as follows:
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United Kingdom Trade percentages OTS Basis Total Manufactures Food 1972 1980 1972 1980 1972 1980 1. Exports European Community* 31 43 29 39 45 62 European Community (6)† 23 35 22 31 30 46 Commonwealth* 19 13 20 15 18 10 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 2. Imports European Community* 32 41 39 49 31 48 European Community (6)† 25 35 34 44 12 25 Commonwealth* 19 11 13 7 36 27 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 3. Exports & Imports European Community* 31 42 33 43 33 52 European Community (6)† 24 35 27 37 15 30 Commonwealth* 19 12 17 11 34 22 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 * Figures relate to the European Community and Commonwealth as currently constituted except that the 1972 figures for the Commonwealth exclude Bangladesh and include New Hebrides. A list of the 61 countries comprising the Commonwealth is given in recent editions of the Overseas Trade Statistics available in the Library. † The European Community (6) comprises Belgium, Luxembourg, France Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and Netherlands. Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.
§ 1. Mr. Jayasked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentages of United Kingdom imports and exports arose in trade with (a) the Commonwealth, defined in each case, (b) the European Economic Community Six, (c) other
United Kingdom Trade with Specified Areas as a Percentage of Total Trade, 1980 compared with 1970. Percentage of total exports Percentage of total imports 1970 1980 1970 1980 Commonwealth 20 13 23 11 European Community Six 22 35 20 35 Other Western European countries 24 22 22 21 USA 12 10 13 12 Oil Exporting Countries 6 10 9 9 Rest of World 19 12 14 13 Source Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, SITC (R2), 1981 basis,
NotesDefinitions (a) "Oil exporting countries": as currently defined in the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics; (b) "Commonwealth": current definition except that Bangladesh is excluded from, and the New Hebrides are included in, the 1970 figures; (c) European Community Six: France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands; (d) Other Western European countries; rest of Western Europe as currently defined plus Denmark, Irish Republic and Greece.
2. Nigeria and Trinidad & Tobago are included in both "Commonwealth" and "Oil Exporting Countries" categories: hence the percentages above in some cases exceed one hundred when totalled.
3. Comparable information for 1948 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.