§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate the best practical means available for determining the nature and value of goods exported from the United Kingdom to member states of the(a) European Union and (b) European Economic Area, which are re-exported to third nations; and if he will make a statement concerning the available information and the means used to collect it, concerning such exports. [128852]
§ Mr. CabornThe collection and provision of statistical information is kept under regular review. However, there are no immediate plans to collect information on goods exported from the United Kingdom to the European Union or Economic Area and subsequently re-exported to third countries.
HM Customs and Excise are the Department responsible for collecting and recording statistics on the movement of goods with other countries. Information on trade in goods with the other member states of the European Union is collected through the Intrastat system. Information on trade with third countries is collated from customs declarations submitted by importers and exporters of goods. UK export statistics are produced by Customs on the basis of declared final country of destination. Goods whose destinations are declared as non-European but which transit other member states after clearing UK customs are recorded as third country exports. Some trade in goods recorded as exports to EC destinations may subsequently be shipped to other countries including non-EC destinations—for instance, as part of further commercial transactions. The Intrastat system does not allow the identification of these movements.