HL Deb 21 April 1994 vol 554 c20WA

Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they accept that the interests of veracity and clarity would be better served if they ensured that when issuing figures or statements concerning British exports to the European Community, they specified whether the information refers to visible exports, invisible exports or an amalgamation of the two.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment (Lord Henley)

The Central Statistical Office publish the estimates for both visible and invisible trade between the UK and other countries. Their First Releases and other publications make a clear distinction between visible and invisible exports and are normally used as the source of other statements.