HC Deb 20 December 1994 vol 251 cc1036-7W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the change in(a) output and employment, (b) volume of imports and exports and (c) import penetration in (i) road passenger vehicles, (ii) commercial shipbuilding, (iii) commercial aircraft, (iv) railway vehicle, (v) motor car, (vi) heavy commercial vehicle, (vii) other non-metallic products, (viii) basic metal and metal products, (ix) transport and equipment, (x) clothing, (xi) machine and equipment and (xii) other manufacturing industries since (1) 1973, (2) 1979 and (3) 1989; and what is his estimate of the current margin of spare capacity in those industries in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Needham

Official information for the variables requested is not readily available by the categories listed. Some information, by broad industry sectors, is available in Central Statistical Office publications available in the Library of the House. Series for import penetration are not available. My Department has made no estimates of spare capacity in United Kingdom industry.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board Trade what was(a) the balance of visible trade with the EEC in the first nine months of this year and (b) the balance in the first nine months of 1992.

Mr. Needham

The information is available from the central shared database, access to which is available in the Library of the House.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in(a) output and employment in the intermediate materials goods industries, (b) the volume of imports and exports and (c) the increase of import penetration since 1973, 1979 and 1989; and what is his estimate of the current margin of spare capacity in the United Kingdom industry.

Mr. Needham

It is not possible to split employment in the manufacturing industries into that which is specifically for the production of intermediate goods. The change in output for intermediate goods is available from data in the index of production. This and the trade data are on the CSO central shared database, which is available in the Library of the House. A series for import penetration is not available. My Department has made no estimate of spare capacity in United Kingdom Industry.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in(a) output and employment in the investment goods industries, (b) changes in the volume of imports, (c) the change in the level of import penetration since (i) 1973, (ii) 1979 and (iii) the second quarter of 1990; and what is his estimate of the current margin of spare capacity in United Kingdom industry.

Mr. Needham

It is not possible to split employment in the manufacturing industries into that which is specifically for the production of investment goods. The change in output for investment goods is available from data in the index of production. This and the trade data are on the CSO central shared database which is available in the Library of the House. A series for import penetration is not available. My Department has made no estimate of spare capacity in United Kingdom industry.