§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the deficit or surplus in the balance of trade in the latest month for which figures are available. [140118]
§ Mr. Caborn[holding answer 28 November 2000]: In the three months to October, the deficit on trade in goods and services was £5.1 billion. The cumulative deficit on trade in goods in 2000 equates to 1.1 per cent. of GDP, which compares favourably with a deficit equivalent to over 4.5 per cent. of GDP in the late 1980s. The value of 602W exports of goods and services grew by 6 per cent. in the latest three-month period compared with the same period last year.