HC Deb 18 May 1993 vol 225 c111W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has of the effect on the balance of payments on tourism of changes in the real exchange rate measured in terms of export unit values; and if he will publish a table showing imports and exports of tourism in cash terms and as a percentage of gross overseas products for each year since 1970, together with the balance of payments in current account on a corresponding basis; to what extent the figures are likely to be affected by the fall in the real exchange rate since September 1992, as measured by changes in the nominal exchange rate and in the real exchange rate weighted by the percentage change in import and export unit values in trade on manufactures with non-EC countries; and what is his forecast for the increase in output in the United Kingdom tourist industry for 1993 and 1994.

Mr. Nelson

The most recent figures for the balance of payments including the analysis of the components of services trade, are shown in CSO's "UK Economic Accounts", tables B1 and B5. The FSBR forecast that the balance on services trade, which includes travel and tourism, would improve in volume terms in 1993, in part because of the improvement in competitiveness since last September. Forecasts for output and employment at the tourist industry level are not available.