§ 31. Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the balance of trade with the EU over the last five years; and what were the equivalent figures for trade with those countries in the five years prior to the United Kingdom's EU accession. [36098]
§ Mr. NelsonIn the latest five years the United Kingdom trade deficit in goods with the EU was worth £26.8 billion compared with a deficit of £1.9 billion in the five years preceding UK accession in 1973. The UK deficit, as a proportion of total UK trade with the EU countries, has fallen from 5.75 per cent. prior to accession to 3.5 per cent. in the latest five years.
§ 37. Mr. BayleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on trends in the visible balance of trade between the first quarter of 1995 and the first quarter of 1996. [36104]
§ Mr. NelsonAfter a deterioration in the second quarter of 1995, the trend in the balance of trade in goods has been broadly flat.