§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the latest balance of trade in manufactured goods; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIn the three months to May 1989, trade in manufactures, on a seasonally adjusted balance of payments basis, was in deficit by £3.8 billion compared with a deficit of £4.3 billion in the previous three months.
§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total deficit in all trade with the rest of the European Economic Community over the past 12 months; and what was the comparable deficit five arid 10 years previously.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe information is in the following table:
United Kingdom visible trade balance1 with EC2 12 months ending £ billion May 1989 -16.1 May 1984 -4.3 May 1979 -3.1 1 Imports cif (ie including insurance and freight costs). Exports fob (ie excluding insurance and freight costs). 2 Present membership throughout. Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.
§ Mr. DykesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the changes in recent months in United Kingdom statistics of overall trade with other European Community member states; and when he next expects to discuss such matters with the Council of Trade Ministers.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIn the six months to May, compared with the same period last year, United Kingdom exports to the other EC countries increased by 12 per cent. while those to the rest of the world rose by 9 per cent. Imports from the EC countries increased by about the same amount as those from the rest of the world, 15 per cent.
I have no plans to discuss these figures in the Council of Ministers.