§ 22. Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market for electronic computers supplied by imports.
§ 59. Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market of electronic computers supplied by imports.
Mr. Mc WilliamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market of electronic computers supplied by imports.
§ Mr. ForthThe information sought is not readily available, since imports include imports for re-export while exports include those for re-import. Such entrepot trade is an important feature of international trade in electronic data processing (EDP) equipment. However, information published by the Central Statistics Office in "Business Monitor PQ 3302 Electronic Data processing equipment" (HMSO) shows that in 1988 total imports of EDP equipment were at a level equivalent to 90 per cent. of the United Kingdom's home market, while total exports were at a level equivalent to 76 per cent. of the United Kingdom's home market.
§ 18. Mr. LeadbitterTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.
§ 32. Mr. Bernie GrantTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.
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Electronic Data Processing Equipment Year Sales Exports Imports Home Market Export Sales ratio Imports/Home Market ratio Exports share of manufactures £ million £ million £ million £ million percent. percent. percent. 1979 980 834 1,024 1,170 85 88 2.7 1984 2,519 2,599 3,561 3,481 103 102 5.6 1985 3,459 3,314 3,919 4,064 96 96 6.3 1986 2,954 3,094 3,916 3,776 105 104 5.7 1987 4,282 3,900 4,774 5,156 91 93 6.4
§ Mr. RedwoodThe references currently before the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are as follows:
§ 98. Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.
§ Mr. ForthBased on data compiled and published by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom had an estimated net surplus of £785 million, not a deficit, with the European Community countries in respect of electronic data processing equipment.
§ 66. Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.
§ 81. Mr. GrocottTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.
§ Mr. ForthBased on data compiled by and available from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom had an estimated net surplus of £299 million, not a deficit, with West Germany in respect of electronic data processing equipment.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for 1979 and for each year since 1984 and the current year to date (i) estimated sales of United Kingdom manufactured computers in SITC 752 plus parts in SITC 759.97, together with imports and exports, (ii) the ratio of exports to sales and (iii) the ratio of imports to home demand; and if he will provide an estimate of the import content of industry sales, together with the percentage share of exports to total exports of manufactures to one place of decimals.
§ Mr. ForthThe latest available information is given in the following table. There are no official estimates of the import content of industry sales.
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Year Sales Exports Imports Home Market Export Sales ratio Imports/Home Market ratio Exports share of manufactures £ million £ million £ million £ million percent. percent. percent. 19881 5,175 4,592 5,473 6,056 89 90 7.0 January-June 19891 2,565 2,382 3,191 3,374 93 95 6.5 1 = Provisional. Notes:
1. Electronic Data Processing Equipment is defined as 752 plus 759.97 of SITC (Rev. 3). The corresponding classification for sales data is Activity Heading 3302 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). 1979 sales data have been adjusted to correspond to current definitions.
2. Home Market = Sales less Exports plus Imports.
3. Imports include imports for re-export while exports incude exports for re-import. Where such entrepot trade is significant import: home market ratios and exports: sales ratios, as normally defined, can approach and even exceed 100 per cent.
4. Manufactures is defined as Sections 5 to 8 of the SITC.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for 1979 and for each year since 1984 and the current year to date sales of United Kingdom manufactured computers in SITC 752.3, plus imports and exports, together with (i) the ratio of exports to manufactured sales, (ii) the ratio of imports to home demand and (iii) his estimate of the value of imports for (a) re-export, (b) direct sales to the United Kingdom market and (c) the import content of United Kingdom manufactured exports;
(2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the value, volume and average value of imports and exports of computers in SITC 752.3; what assessment he has made of the proportion of exports manufactured outside the United Kingdom and the change in United Kingdom content of those manufactured in the United Kingdom since 1986; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the levels of average value and volume in 1988.
§ Mr. ForthThe classification system used for the collection of sales statistics is different from that used for international trade. Consequently data on sales of computers corresponding to SITC 752.3 are not available. The ratio of exports to manufactured sales and the ratio of imports to home demand cannot, therefore, be calculated. Imports are not broken down into those for re-export or direct sale to the United Kingdom market. There are no official estimates of the import content of United Kingdom-manufactured exports of computers.
The table gives the available information on imports and exports relating to SITC 752.3. The introduction of a new classification system at the start of 1988 and changes in the reporting of some exports during that year may have affected the consistency and the quality of the detailed figures for computers. Therefore average values, which are in fact unit values for 1988 should be treated with caution.
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United Kingdom Imports and Exports: SITC 752.3 Imports Value £ million Volume thousands Unit value £ thousands 1979 81 10 8.4 1984 717 984 0.7 1985 795 941 0.8 1986 749 325 2.3 1987 934 363 2.6 1988 891 564 1.6 1 1989 829 816 1.0 1 January-September (provisional).
Exports Value £ million Volume thousands Unit value £ thousands 1979 22 5 4.4 1984 597 1,702 0.4 1985 600 1,191 0.5 1986 584 242 2.4 1987 693 205 3.4 1988 1,641 (2,772) (0.6) 1 1989 1,577 680 2.3 1 January-September (provisional). Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, HMSO.