§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the non-oil visible trade deficit with(a) the EEC and (b) the rest of the world each year since 1970; and what percentage these represent of total non-oil visible trade in each year.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkI have been asked to reply.
The information is in the table:
United Kingdom non-oil trade1 OTS basis Year Crude balance with As percentage of exports and imports with European Community Rest of the world European Community Rest of the world £ billion Per cent. 1970 +0.1 -0.3 +1.4 -3.0 1971 -0.1 +0.4 -2.7 +3.5 1972 -0.5 -0.0 -7.2 -0.3 1973 -1.3 -1.0 -13.3 -6.3 1974 -2.1 -0.9 -15.9 -4.1 1975 -2.1 +1.2 -14.3 +5.0 1976 -2.1 +0.7 -10.6 +2.3 1977 -2.3 +1.2 -9.3 +3.4 1978 -3.3 +1.4 -1.1 +3.5 1979 -4.6 -0.7 -12.7 -1.5 1980 -2.7 +0.2 -7.2 +0.5 1981 -4.3 +1.3 -11.4 +2.7 1982 -6.7 +0.9 -15.4 +1.7 1983 -10.0 -2.1 -20.0 -3.6 1984 -11.7 -3.4 -20.0 -1.6 1985 -12.2 -2.2 -18.5 -3.0 1986 -13.8 -3.2 -18.9 -4.3 1987 -14.6 -3.5 -17.7 -4.5 1988 -17.6 -9.4 -19.0 -10.9 1 Oil taken as Standard International Trade Classification Division 33. Note: Figures may not add due to rounding.
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.