§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, further to his reply of 20 July,Official Report, columns 621–2, giving the trade deficit with the EEC in the first five months of the current year, he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the number of British jobs represented by the trade deficit.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe deficit in our balance of trade in manufactured goods with the European Community reflects many interrelated factors, including the pattern of our trade in other goods and services with other areas. Since changes in the deficit cannot take place in isolation, no meaningful estimates can be made of the number of jobs represented by the deficit.