§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the practice of his Department on answering questions about the balance of trade with the EC.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 2 April 1990]: Following the reorganisation in 1989 of the Government statistical service as a result of the recommendations of the review of economic statistics, the responsibility for publishing the main economic aggregates now falls to the Central Statistical Office, and questions about such aggregates are answered by Treasury Ministers. Questions concerning disaggregated trade statistics are answered by DTI Ministers. They would include a question on the balance of trade in manufactured goods with the EC. A copy of the guidelines for the allocation of questions seeking economic statistics is available in the Library of the House.