Trade Deficit (Hansard, 25 October 1990)

HC Deb 25 October 1990 vol 178 c297W 297W

§ 42. Mr. Hardy
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his estimate of the trade deficit for 1990; and what are the comparable volume and real terms figures for 10 years earlier.

§ Mr. Norman Lamont
The visible trade balance in the first three quarters of 1990 was a deficit of 14.8 billion, or about 3½ per cent. of GDP. In 1980 there was a visible trade surplus of £1.4 billion, or ½ per cent. of GDP.