HC Deb 05 December 1989 vol 163 cc151-2W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what detailed surveys of the level of imported textile and clothing goods on sale in major high street stores in the United Kingdom he is planning to undertake;

(2) what is his estimate of the level of imported textile and clothing goods on sale in major high street stores in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Redwood

The overall level of imports of textiles and clothing is shown in the trade statistics. I have no plans to survey the level of imported goods in particular stores.

Manufacturing trade: January to September 1989
Crude balance
£ million
France -933
Belgium/Luxembourg -621
Netherlands -1,705
Federal Republic of Germany -7,411
Italy -1,595
Denmark -153
Portugal -53

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the deficit or surplus in(a) manufacturing and trade and (b) invisibles in each of the last 10 years with (i) West Germany, (ii) Japan and (iii) the United States of America.

Mr. Redwood

The crude balance of visible trade in manufactured goods and total visible trade for the identified countries is given in the following table. Information on invisible trade is not available.

Mr. Redwood

Visible trade between the United Kingdom and the countries concerned is given in the following table: