HC Deb 02 May 1986 vol 96 cc519-20W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing what effect he estimates the fall in oil prices will have on the earnings of each of the oil-producing countries on the basis of their net exports in 1985 and the current price of oil, together with their imports of manufactures from the United Kingdom, the rest of the European Economic Community, Japan and the United States of America.

Mr. Alan Clark

There is insufficient information available on 1985 trade flows for the majority of oil exporters to provide reasonable estimates of the effect of the fall in oil prices in the manner requested. Information on the exports of manufactures to OPEC countries in 1985 by the United Kingdom and the rest of the European Community is given in the table. Similar information for Japan and the United States of America is not yet available.

Exports of Manufactures* to OPEC countries—1985
$ million
United Kingdom European Community (10) less United Kingdom
Algeria 131 4,215
Libya 262 1,543
Nigeria 889 1,617
Gabon 25 446
Venezuela 138 1,089
Ecuador 28 183
Iraq 448 2,162
Iran 530 2,440
Saudi Arabia 1,179 5,216
Kuwait 359 1,229
Qatar 128 318
UAE 586 1,313
Indonesia 142 1,264
* SITC categories 5 to 8.

Source: Eurostat—External Trade (monthly statistics)