§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the foreign earnings associated with the use of English courts and arbitrators for international maritime dispute resolution.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonThe Central Statistical Office balance of payments year book estimates that total foreign legal earnings for commercial legal advice and advocacy are £425 million per year. There is no detailed breakdown of the different types of commercial matters available. It is not therefore possible to estimate the percentage of this figure which relates to maritime disputes.