§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is his estimate of the number of British jobs represented by the present deficit in manufactured trade with the EEC;
(2) what was the United Kingdom share of the market for imported manufactures in the latest year for which figures are available in (a) South Africa, (b) Canada, (c) Australia, (d) New Zealand and (e) Nigeria; and if he will provide corresponding figures for 1977, 1968 and 1959;
(3) what was the United Kingdom share of the market for imported manufactures in 1988 in the case of the Irish Republic, Denmark, Portugal and each of the European Free Trade Association countries; and if he will provide corresponding figures for 1977, 1970 and 1959;
(4) why the indices of output in the production industries were dropped from the CSO annual abstract of statistics in the current year; and if he will publish in the Official Report the information given in table 8.2 of the 1988 edition;
(5) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for Italy and the United Kingdom respectively the increase in gross domestic product and in imports and exports of manufactures since 1979;
(6) whether he will bring up to date the export price and volume indices given in his answer to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould) on 22 March 1985, Official Report, column 638, including figures for the change in the terms of trade for finished manufactures;
(7) whether he will publish in the Official Report for the years 1970 to date a table showing for the European Economic Community and for the rest of the world (a) the trade balance in manufactures less precious stones on a balance of payments basis, (b) the balance of trade less oil and precious stones on the same basis and (c) the ratio of exports to imports in each case.
§ Mr. RedwoodI will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy in the Library.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the value of United Kingdom exports in 1988 of(a) finished and (b) semi-finished manufactures, including and excluding erratics, consists of re-exports; and what were the figures in 1979, 1970 and 1959.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 27 July 1989]: Information on which to base the required percentage is not available.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report the balance of trade in manufactures between the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Holland and1076W Belgium, respectively, and the rest of the European Economic Community in 1978 and in 1988, together with the change in relative export prices for such goods.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 27 July 1989]: The information is in the following tables:
Balance of trade in manufactures1 3 with other members2 of the Community US $ billion 1978 1988 United Kingdom -2.2 -24.2 Germany +15.5 +54.6 France -4.3 -22.0 Italy +6.5 +5.4 Netherlands -5.9 -4.6 Belgium/Luxembourg +0.7 +6.5 1 Standard International Trade Classification sections 5–8. 2 Current EC membership throughout. 3 The balance of payments statistics overall reveal the need for a balancing item of £14 billion for 1988. The Pickford report has looked at the limitations of the figures in the light of this item. Source: 1978—OECD series C.
1988—Statistical Office of the European Community.
Export of manufactures Changes in relative export prices between 1978 and 1988 Percentage United Kingdom +20.4 Germany -4.5 France -5.8 Italy +8.2 Netherlands -5.2 Belgium/Luxembourg -6.8 Source: Department of Trade and Industry.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, further to his reply of 30 NovemberOfficial Report, column 251, showing the balance of trade in manufactures in terms of 1988 prices, he will provide the outturn figure for 1988 and that for the first five months of 1989 together with the figures for each year in current prices; and if he will provide the corresponding figures for trade in manufactures with the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 27 July 1989]: The figures for manufactures excluding erratics for 1988 and 1989 to date at 1988 prices are:
Manufactures less erratics (BOP basis) at 1988 prices (£ billion) Exports Imports Balance 1988 59.3 74.8 -15.6 11989 62.5 82.7 -20.2 1 The figures for 1989 are for January-May 1989 at an annualised rate. Figures for earlier years at current prices are shown in the table.
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Table 2 Manufactures less erratics (BOP basis) at current prices (£ billion) Exports Imports Balance 1970 6.3 3.7 +2.6 1971 7.1 4.0 +3.2 1972 7.2 4.9 +2.3 1973 9.0 7.2 +1.7 1974 12.2 10.0 +2.2 1975 14.6 10.2 +4.4 1976 18.8 13.7 +5.1 1977 23.3 17.0 +6.4
Exports Imports Balance 1978 25.5 20.4 +5.1 1979 28.1 25.4 +2.8 1980 31.0 25.1 +5.9 1981 31.8 27.6 +4.2 1982 33.9 32.6 +1.3 1983 35.7 39.2 -3.5 1984 41.9 47.0 -5.1 1985 48.0 51.9 -3.9 1986 49.1 56.5 -7.4 1987 54.7 64.3 -9.6 Estimates for trade in manufactures with the European Community are available only at current prices, and including the erratic items:
Table 3 United Kingdom Trade with the EC Manufactures including erratic (BOP basis) at current prices (£ billion) Exports Imports Balance 1970 2.2 1.5 +0.6 1971 2.3 1.8 +0.4 1972 2.5 2.5 — 1973 3.3 3.7 -0.4 1974 4.7 5.2 -0.5 1975 5.1 5.7 -0.6 1976 7.2 7.7 -0.5 1977 9.3 9.8 -0.5 1978 10.2 12.0 -1.7 1979 12.6 15.2 -2.6 1980 14.0 15.2 -1.2 1981 13.2 15.9 -2.6 1982 14.6 18.9 -4.3 1983 15.9 23.1 -7.2 1984 18.8 27.0 -8.1 1985 21.8 30.5 -8.7 1986 23.9 34.0 -10.1 1987 28.0 38.4 -10.4 1988 31.5 44.0 -12.6