HC Deb 25 March 1987 vol 113 c181W
21. Mr. Chris Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's practice on publishing figures for invisible trade.

59. Mr. Litherland

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's practice on publishing figures for invisible trade.

68. Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's practice on publishing figures for invisible trade.

Mr. Alan Clark

My Department publishes monthly estimates of invisible trade in the monthly press notice on trade statistics. The invisibles estimates are compiled and supplied by the Central Statistical Office. For the most recent periods, the statisticians publish a projection in round numbers until data become available to them. Monthly surveys of invisibles transactions are not conducted. Monthly figures are conventionally shown as one third of the corresponding quarter's figure.