HC Deb 13 January 1988 vol 125 cc310-2W
41. Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, when he next meets his counterparts in the European Community, he will raise the subject of the reform of the European regional development fund.

Mr. Atkins

The ERDF is at present under general review in Brussels together with the Community's other structural funds. I therefore expect many discussions on this subject this year.

47. Mr. Knox

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the value of the grants allocated to England from the European regional development fund since its inception.

Import penetration in rubber and plastics1
1979 1985 Import penetration Percentage change
Production Imports Exports Production Imports Exports 1979 1985 1985–1979
3$ billion 3$ billion 3$ billion 3$ billion 3$ billion 3$ billion Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
Australia 2.5 0.4 — 2.8 0.6 — 13 18 36
Austria 1.4 0.4 0.4 1.3 0.4 0.5 31 36 16
Belgium/Luxembourg 2.0 1.0 0.9 1.6 0.9 1.0 48 61 27
Canada 3.0 0.9 0.3 4.6 1.2 0.8 25 25 -1
Denmark 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.4 0.3 51 61 20
Finland 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.2 0.2 44 41 -6
France 12.0 1.8 2.3 10.2 1.8 2.3 16 19 20
Germany 9.6 2.5 3.2 8.4 2.5 3.5 28 34 21
Greece 0.7 0.1 — 0.6 0.1 — 11 15 30
Ireland 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.2 47 55 18
Italy 6.9 0.7 2.1 7.2 0.9 2.1 12 15 21
Japan 32.8 0.4 1.5 45.3 0.5 2.6 1 1 -6
Netherlands 1.7 1.1 0.7 1.4 1.1 0.8 53 68 29
New Zealand 0.5 0.1 — 0.5 0.1 — 11 18 63
Norway 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.5 0.3 0.1 39 46 17
Portugal 0.4 — — 0.5 0.5 — 11 54 417
Spain 4.3 0.1 0.6 3.8 0.2 0.6 3 5 53
Sweden 1.1 0.6 0.4 1.1 0.6 0.4 48 50 5
United States of America 47.3 3.6 1.5 75.4 7.7 2.1 7 9 29
United Kingdom 10.4 1.3 1.4 7.4 1.7 1.3 13 22 73
Total OECD2 138.5 16.2 16.1 173.9 22.2 19.1 12 13 7
Notes:
1 International Industrial Classification Major Groups 355 and 356.
2 Excluding Iceland, Switzerland and Turkey.
3 United States $.

'—' Value less than half the final digit shown.

Overseas trade figures include imports for re-export and exports for re-import. For a number of countries this entrepot trade is substantial and import penetration ratios are distorted.

Source: OECD.

46. Mr. Vaz

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by how much the trade balance in rubber and plastics changed between the second quarter of 1979 and he second quarter of 1987; and what was the comparable

Mr. Atkins

£1,276 million.