HC Deb 08 November 1991 vol 198 cc309-10W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent the cost competitiveness of British industry has correlated with the export performance of British industry in manufactured goods since 1983; and what information he has on price elasticities for France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States of America over the same period.

Mr. Sainsbury

Export performance depends not only on cost competitiveness but on non price factors such as quality, reliability and delivery. Between 1983 and 1990, United Kingdom cost competitiveness in the manufacturing sector (measured by relative unit labour costs) improved by 1.3 per cent. and the volume of United Kingdom manufactured exports rose by 63.1 per cent.

Information on price elasticities is available from a variety of sources.