§ Mr. Stuart Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what share of British visible export trade, excluding diamonds, was accounted for by the top 30, 75 and 220 companies since 1978.
§ Mr. ChannonThe information available on the percentage of United Kingdom exports as recorded in the Overseas Trade Statistics (excluding diamonds) accounted for by such companies is as follows:
per cent. 1979 1980 1981 Top 30 exporters 35 35 39 Top 75 exporters 47 47 51 Top 220 exporters 64 62 65 Source: Department of Trade and Industry's annual overseas transactions inquiry.
§ Mr. Stuart Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies represented the top 40 per cent. 50 per cent. and 66 per cent. of United Kingdom visible export trade from 1978.
§ Mr. ChannonThe information available on the number of United Kingdom companies accounting for given percentages of United Kingdom exports as recorded in the Overseas Trade Statistics, excluding diamonds, is as follows:
1979 1980 1981 40 per cent. of UK exports 46 45 33 50 per cent. of UK exports 94 95 72 66 per cent. of UK exports 287 317 *254 Source: Department of Trade and Industry's annual overseas transactions inquiry.
* The 254 companies in 1981 relate only to enterprises making returns to the overseas transactions inquiry. No allowance is made for companies with exports between £5 million and £50 million in 1980 which did not publish the value of their exports in 1981.