HC Deb 21 October 1986 vol 102 c786W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the level, respectively, of private direct manufacturing investment overseas and gross domestic fixed capital formation for each year since 1977.

Mr. Alan Clark

Figures for gross domestic fixed capital formation are given in table 10.6 in the CSO Blue Book (UK National Accounts, 1986). Details covering leased assets are given separately on page 119 of the same publication.

United Kingdom net direct investment overseas in manufacturing industry is given in table 1.4 of Business Monitor MA4 "Overseas Transactions". The latest available data are for 1984 and are given in British Business, 6 June 1986 (page 461, table 3).

Net direct investment overseas is a financial concept and is not the same as fixed capital formation. Direct investment covers only the money invested in a related concern by a parent company and that concern will then decide how to use this money, whether, for example, on fixed assets, to increase debtors, to repay borrowing or to increase working capital.