HC Deb 23 March 1983 vol 39 cc413-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will bring up to date the replies dated 7 July 1980,Official Report,c. 4–6 and 14 July 1980,Official Report,c. 387–8 concering trade with the European Community and the rest of the world in certain manufactured products.

Mr. Peter Rees

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom percentage share of total imports and imports of manufactured goods into various markets
Percentages
Total imports 1981* 1982 Q1-Q3 Imports of Manufactures 1981*
France 6
FR of Germany 7
Italy 4 4
Bel/Lux 7 †8½
Netherlands 9
Ireland 50 48 45
Denmark 12 11
EFTA 8 8
* Data on manufactures for 1982 not yet available; 1981 figures for both total and manufactures included for comparison.
† As a result of changes made by Belgium/Luxembourg in the classification of certain commodities, this figure is not consistent with the earlier reply. As an indication of the effect of these changes, the United Kingdom share of Belgium/Luxembourg imports of manufactures in 1978 was 11 per cent. on the old basis and 10 per cent. on the new.

Source: OECD Trade Series A and B.

Weight (thousand tonnes) Value (£ million)
European Community (9) Rest of world European Community (9) Rest of world
I. Trade in Iron and Steel (1)
IMPORTS
1980 3,292 1,831 932 516
1981 2,960 1,087 752 337
1982 (provisional) 2,883 1,496 914 455
EXPORTS
1980 1,197 1,757 371 613
1981 1,438 2,974 394 845
1982 (provisional) 1,310 2,374 438 855
II Trade in Passenger Motor Cars (2)
IMPORTS
1980 556 317 1,516 595
1981 538 279 1,594 627
1982 (provisional) 658 287 2,216 673
EXPORTS
1980 129 237 276 563
1981 (135) (221) (283) (626)
1982 (provisional) 125 194 315 645
III. Trade in Commercial Vehicles (3)
IMPORTS
1980 41 35 233 149

Weight (thousand tonnes) Value (£ million)
European Community (9) Rest of world European Community (9) Rest of world
1981 21 27 139 106
1982 (provisional) 40 33 300 139
EXPORTS
1980 43 93 214 472
1981 (28) (79) (153) (503)
1982 (provisional) 17 84 110 473

Source: data corresponding to SITC(R2) Division 67(1); Group 781and Sub-group 784.1 (part) (2); and Groups 782 and 783 and remainder of Sub-group 784.1 (3).

Notes: (a) figures for the European Community are on the basis of current membership—eg, including Greece.

(b) imports are valued cif and exports fob.

(c) export figures for 1981 contain a large element of estimation based on sampling for the months from March to August inclusive and accordingly should be interpreted with caution.

(d) figures for passenger motor cars include chassis fitted with engines, except in the case of exports in 1981 where chassis are included with commercial vehicles; the resulting difference is very small.

(e) figures for commercial vehicles include dumpers and crane lorries and other minor approximations.

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