§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister for Trade, further to his reply dated 15 March, Official Report, c. 79–80, concerning trade in consumer goods, whether he will publish in the Official Report, a table showing the terms of trade and relative volume on the basis of current weights, together with an explanation for the increase in the terms of trade for machinery and fall in the relative volume.
§ Mr. SproatThe information is as follows:
the balance of trade in manufactures with the European Community and with the rest of the world in the first quarter of 1983 on a balance of payments and on a trade statistics basis.
§ Mr. SproatIt is estimated that in the year ending March 1983 the proportion of the cost of imports of manufactures which represents freight and insurance from the European Community is 1.8 per cent. and from the rest of the world 5.6 per cent. The balance of trade in manufactures in the first quarter of 1983 are given below:
Trade in Manufactures (SITC (R2) 5 to 8) 1983 Q1 £ Million, Not seasonally adjusted Balance of Trade with: European Community Rest of the World Overseas Trade Statistics basis -1932 +555 Balance of Payments basis -1717 +1034