HC Deb 25 November 1986 vol 106 cc168-9W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the first eight months of the current year at an annual rate the deficit on trade in (a) manufactures, (b) finished manufactures, (c) precious stones, (d) crude oil and (e) total trade less crude oil to the nearest £m; and if he will provide corresponding figures for (i) 1956, (ii) 1966, (iii) 1970 and (iv) 1979.

Mr. Alan Clark

The available information is as follows:

Information is therefore not available on the proportions of the total value of sales accounted for by United Kingdom produced cigarettes and by imported cigarettes. Information is, however, available in respect of the numbers of cigarettes released for consumption in the United Kingdom as compiled by HM Customs and Excise and is as follows:

Quantities of cigarettes released for home consumption
per cent.
Proportion accounted for by imports Proportion accounted for by United Kingdom manufacturers
1981 1.4 98.6
1982 1.7 98.3
1983 1.9 98.1
1984 6.4 93.6
1985 10.6 89.4
19861 11.4 88.6
1January to August.

Source: HM Customs and Excise.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning the total number of cigarettes sold in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Mr. Butcher

The information available on quantities of cigarettes released for consumption in the United Kingdom as compiled by HM Customs and Excise is as follows:

Quantities of cigarettes released for home consumption
Total clearances (million)
1981 109,822
1982 102,449
1983 102,611
1984 99,864
1985 99,070
19861 61,013
1January to August

Source: HM Customs and Excise.