§ Mr. BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the rate of growth of the Northern Ireland economy over the last two years.
§ Mr. Ian StewartEconomic growth is normally measured in terms of gross domestic product. While caution is necessary in the interpretation of short-term trends, Northern Ireland's GDP is provisionally estimated to have increased by 19.7 per cent. at current prices in the period 1985 to 1987. This compares with the 20.2 per cent. increase for GDP in the United Kingdom as a whole (excluding the continental shelf).