HC Deb 21 July 1994 vol 247 c430W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 758, what assessment he has made of the factors which account for (a) the change in the level of exports to the rest of the EC of consumer goods including passenger motor cars in the three years to 1991 and the subsequent change to the first quarter of 1994 and (b) the corresponding increases of exports to the rest of the world: how the figures for the three months ended April differ from his forecasts since September 1992; and what were the corresponding changes in the volume of imports and in United Kingdom output of the consumer goods industries, and the figures for April.

Mr. Clarke

As discussed in the Treasury's summer economic forecast, export and import levels are affected by a number of factors including world trade, domestic demand and competitiveness. Forecasts are not made separately for trade with other EC countries and with non-EC countries, nor for consumer goods including passenger motor cars.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has available on the effect of differing degrees of devaluation on the share of imports in the United Kingdom market.

Mr. Nelson

I regret that it has not been possible to provide a substantive answer before the summer recess. I shall write to the hon. Member shortly and place a copy of the letter in the Library.