§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the deficit on visible trade in the six months to April and of the likely effect on output, employment and investment in United Kingdom manufacturing; and if he will make a statement. [35197]
§ Mrs. Angela KnightThe Government's latest assessment of the factors affecting the visible trade deficit was given in chapter 1 of the Treasury's summer economic forecast, published on 28 June 1995. Net trade directly accounted for over half of the growth of GDP in the year to the first quarter of 1995. It is not possible to isolate the overall effects of trade performance on output, employment and investment.