HC Deb 22 March 1994 vol 240 cc209-15W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will publish a table showing(a) the ratio of imports of textiles to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of textiles from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;

(2) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of footwear and clothing to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the rest of the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the EEC and (2) all sources;

(3) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of motor vehicles and parts to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the EEC and (2) all sources;

(4) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of chemicals to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;

(5) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of electrical and electronic engineering products to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;

(6) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of office machinery and automatic data processing equipment to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;

(7) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of mechanical engineering products to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources.

Mr. Needham

No. The available information may be found in the "Annual Abstract of Statistics", the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", publications in the Business Monitors series, theEmployment Gazette, the "Engineering Sales and Orders Digest", and the "Textiles Bulletin". Data are also available from the Central Statistical Office's central shared database, from Eurostat's CRONOS database, and from the Chemical Industries Association's "Basic International Chemical Industry Statistics". All the above data sources are in the Library of the House.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EEC countries the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

(2) if he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

(3) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

(4) whether he will publish a table showing unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

(5) whether he will publish a table showing the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

(6) if he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EEC countries the unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985.

Mr. Needham

Information on whole world trade on the basis of trade in 1985 was last published in "First Release, UK Balance of Payments—Current Account in December, CSO(92)11", by the Central Statistical Office on 28 January 1993. Information prior to 1991 for whole world data can be found from earlier press releases.

Information for non-EC countries was first published in "First Release, UK Balance of Trade with countries outside the European Community in January, CSO(93)27. Prior to this information on whole world data was not split into EC and non-EC data. Information on non-EC trade was last published in "First Release, Balance of Trade with countries outside the EC—June 1993, CSO(93)100". Press releases after this date used the 1990 basis.

Copies of all the above publications are available in the Library of the House.

Separate information on EC data is not available.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will publish a table showing the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

(2) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

(3) if he will publish a table showing unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

(4) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

(5) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EC countries the unit values for import; and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

(6) if he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EC countries the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990.

Mr. Needham

The information is available from the Central Statistical Office central shared database, access to which is available in the Library of the House. Information for whole world trade is available from 1970 onwards. Information for EC and non-EC trade is available from 1988 onwards.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Taiwan in(a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(2) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures less diamonds with Belgium in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(3) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with China in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(4) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Germany in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(5) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with France in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(6) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Indonesia in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(7) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Italy in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of these years; what was the real exchange rate in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(8) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Russia in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(9) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with the Netherlands in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of these years; what was the real exchange rate in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(10) what was the import to export ratio for trade in manufactures with Germany in 1993 to the latest available date and what was the corresponding surplus or deficit; what were the figures for 1970, 1979 and 1985 and the corresponding level of the real exchange rate compared to 1993; and if he will list the principal surpluses and deficits in 1993 together with the reasons therefor:

(11) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Brunei in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

(12) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Singapore in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those three years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them.

Mr. Needham

Information on United Kingdom trade in manufactures, defined in sections 5 to 8 of the standard international trade classification, is published regularly by the Central Statistical Office in the "Overseas Trade Statistics" of the United Kingdom.

Since the beginning of 1993, the publication appears in two parts: "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom with countries outside the European Community (Extra-EC Trade)", and "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom with countries within the European Community (Extra-EC Trade: Intrastat)". These publications are available from the Library of the House.

Belgium and Luxembourg are treated as a single economic unit; separate figures for the two are not available. Information on United Kingdom imports of diamonds from Belgium-Luxembourg is commercially confidential.

For statistical purposes, the former German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany were combined, as Germany, since 1991.

Information on real exchange rates is not available.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the export figures of manufactures in the three months to November 1993 and the corresponding figures for the same period in 1990 for the United Kingdom and the other main manufacturing countries.

Mr. Needham

Information on United Kingdom exports of manufactures in the three months to November 1993 is available via the Central Statistical Office database, which can be accessed from the Library of the House. The corresponding information for the main manufacturing countries is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The 1990 information is published by the CSO in "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" February 1993, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the(a) United Kingdom, (b) German and (c) French share of 3Q1992 exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries in the third quarter of 1992.

Mr. Needham

The information requested can be found in table E2 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" February 1993, published by the CSO, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made as to the extent to which the standstill since 1990 on the price of semi-manufactures imported from non-EC countries has contributed to the change of 6 per cent. in the United Kingdom of intermediate goods over the same period.

Mr. Needham

The Department has not undertaken such a study.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the levels of United Kingdom exports of commercial vehicles weighing over 7.5 tonnes between 1988 and 1992; what was the level of exports from Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain and France in those years; and which countries accounted for the change in the level of United Kingdom exports.

Mr. Needham

Information on the level of United Kingdom exports by country of commercial vehicles weighing over 7.5 tonnes can be readily derived from information in table 62 of "Motor Industry of Great Britain —World Automotive Statistics", published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd., a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

The information for Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain and France could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the volume of semi-manufactures imported from non-EEC countries in the three months to the end of January and how this is affected by the change since 1990 of the nominal exchange rate for sterling against the currencies of those countries; what was the increase in the case of imported semi-manufactures(a) used in producing manufactures other than food, drink and tobacco and (b) which compete directly or indirectly with home-produced goods; and what was the consequential increase in the import content of goods manufactured in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Needham

Information on the volume of semi-manufactures imported for non-EC countries in the three months to January 1994 was published by the Central Statistical Office in "First Release CSO(94)38, Balance of Trade with Countries Outside the EC—January 1994". The release is available in the Library of the House.

An exchange rate for sterling against non-EC currencies is not readily available. Nominal exchange rates against the US dollar are published regularly by the International Monetary Fund in "International Financial Statistics". The publication is available in the Library of the House. It is not possible to isolate the effect of exchange rates on imports from other factors.

The increase in the volume of semi-manufactures used in producing manufactures other than food, drink and tobacco could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. All imports compete directly or indirectly with home-produced goods. The import content of goods manufactured in the United Kindom cannot be identified.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the United Kingdom output of passenger cars in 1991 in comparison with that of Spain; what was the balance of trade and the ratio of exports to imports in that year between Spain and the United Kingdom in(a) cars and (b) components; and what assessment he has made as to the local content of cars produced in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Spain.

Mr. Needham

The available data are published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd. in "Motor Industry of Great Britain 1992—World Automotive Statistics". Data for United Kingdom and Spanish output of passenger cars can be found in table 12. United Kingdom exports of passenger cars and parts and accessories to Spain are in table 60. The corresponding table for imports is table 89. This publication is available in the Library of the House.

The Government have a long-standing practice of establishing understandings on local, European content with major inward investors in the vehicles sector, which are monitored regularly. The local content of cars produced in the United Kingdom by the major Japanese manufacturers is currently 70 per cent. or more. Information about the local content of cars produced in Spain is not available.