§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is the current level of exports and imports of manufactured goods, and how the figures compare with those for the last 10 years;
(2) what is the current ratio of exports of manufactures to imports of manufactures; and how this compares with each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. ChannonIn the first half of 1983, it is provisionally estimated that exports of manufactured goods were valued at £19.5 billion and imports at £20.9 billion; exports represented 94 per cent. of imports. Comparable information on trade in manufactured goods in the past 10 years can be derived from table A8 of the annual supplement (No. 4), of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, a copy of which is available in the Library.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the United Kingdom's current share of world trade in manufactures; and how this compares with each of the last 10 years.
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§ Mr. ChannonThis information is given in table E2 of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics and its annual supplement, copies of which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the increase in United Kingdom export prices for manufactures and domestic prices since 1953; and how these figures compare with those of Japan.
§ Mr. ChannonFigures for 1953 are not readily available. The closest comparisons are as follows:
Changes in prices* of manufactures 1954–82 per cent. Export prices† Domestic prices ‡ United Kingdom +588 +583 Japan +102 ║+102 Notes:
*Measured in national currencies.
† Export unit values for manufactures.
‡ Wholesale prices of manufactured goods.
║ 1956–82.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what weight he attaches to the United Kingdom's export and import figures for manufactured goods over the past four years as an indication of competitiveness.
§ Mr. ChannonThe United Kingdom's exports and imports of manufactured goods over the past four years have been subject to a number of influences, including cost competitiveness, the level of world trade, the level of domestic demand, and a variety of non-price factors including design, product quality and reliability, delivery performance etc. In addition they reflect the important changes in the pattern of United Kingdom trade which have accompanied increasing production of North Sea oil. In these circumstances, the United Kingdom's import and export figures for manufactured goods will reflect, but not necessarily be a good indicator of, competitiveness.