§ Mr. William Rossto ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in theOfficial Report to show (a) the imports and (b) the exports from each port in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Viggers[holding answer 26 February 1988]: Figures for Northern Ireland imports and exports are not 523W separately identified in United Kingdom trade statistics. However figures for the total traffic of goods through Northern Ireland ports which includes imports and exports are available. These are as follows:
Thousand tonnes Year Belfast Coleraine Larne Londonderry Warrenpoint Carrickfergus Other ports Totals (a) Inward Traffic 1982 4,485 169 2,040 704 582 239 1,341 9,560 1983 5,014 168 1,932 745 647 294 1,309 10,109 1984 4,580 70 2,000 703 590 272 1,555 9,770 1985 5,227 144 2,061 724 684 295 1,631 10,766 1986 5,255 140 2,069 881 668 337 1,458 10,808 (b) Outward Traffic 1982 526 13 1,125 93 79 — 170 2,006 1983 556 8 1,286 61 107 — 147 2,166 1984 667 4 1,399 51 146 — 133 2,399 1985 756 36 1,536 51 127 — 182 2,688 1986 876 54 1,585 31 101 1 284 2,932 Note:
(i) The tables give tonnages of goods through the ports and exclude weights of containers and weights of materials shipped for dumping at sea.
(ii) Inward Traffic refers to all goods taken into Northern Ireland from Great Britain and elsewhere through the Northern Ireland ports. Northern Ireland is not necessarily the ultimate destination for these goods. Similarly Outward Traffic covers all goods taken out through the Northern Ireland ports, destined for Great Britain or for foreign countries. The origin of the goods is not necessarily in Northern Ireland.