§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for 187W Warrington, North of 12 April, Official Report, column 545, if he will make it his policy that in the next discussion between his Department and Ford about that company's manufacturing strategy, Ministers or officials will seek to encourage Ford to publish its own estimate of the net effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments of the transfer of the manufacture of Sierras.
§ Mr. MaudeThe transfer of Sierra manufacture from Dagenham to Genk is only one element in Ford's reorganisation which also includes expansion of Fiesta manufacture at Dagenham, of Escort manufacture at Halewood and Transit van manufacture at Southampton. The overall effect of these changes on the balance of payments is dependent on so many variables as to be impossible to estimate with any accuracy and I see no value in encouraging Ford to attempt to make such an estimate.