§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the information on coal, oil and gas exports and imports in December 1989 sought in the two questions from the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras for answer on 12 February became available to his Department.
§ Mr. WakehamData on exports and imports in December 1989 were made available to the Library of the House in the December volume of "Overseas Trade Statistics" (OTS) on 6 February 1990. However the "Overseas Trade Statistics" does not include an adjustment for the under-recording of direct exports of crude oil. This is included in the balance of payments figures published by the Central Statistical Office, but is available only some days later.
The comparable figures for 1989, following the answer given on Thursday 9 November 1989, Official Report, columns 767–68, are as follows:
Table 1 Thousand tonnes Exports (fob) Imports (cif) Coal Oil1 Coal2 Gas2 Oil 1989 2,072 69,297 12,137 15,082 58,078 1 Contains a small amount of natural gas exports. 2 Coal equivalent. SourceCustoms and Excise Overseas Trade Statistics published by the Central Statistical Office.
Table 2 £million at 1985 prices1 Exports (fob) Imports (cif) Coal Oil2 Coal Gas Oil 1989 80 11,834 647 1,134 9,365 1 Figures at 1985 constant prices have been derived by applying the unit value for exports and imports in 1985 to the volumes in 1989. 2Contains a small amount of natural gas exports. Source: Volumes from table 1 revalued at 1985 prices.
To enable the different fuels to be compared, the figures in table 1 need to be put on to a common basis. Figures on a common basis, in this case tonnes of coal equivalent, are shown in table 3.
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Table 3 Thousand tonnes of coal equivalent Exports (fob) Imports (cif) Coal Oil1 Coal Gas Oil 1989 2,072 118,378 12,137 15,082 99,375 1 Contains a small amount of natural gas exports. Source: As for table 1.