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General Practitioners (Contract)
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received on the provision in the general practitioner's contract for annual contact with pensioner patients by general practitioners.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have received a number of representations on the GPs' new contract which have made some reference to the requirement to offer an annual check-up to patients aged 75 and over. Due to the general nature of the majority of such representations, it is not possible to give a precise figure.
Waiting List Fund
Sir Neil Macfarlane : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money will be made available to the National Health Service through the waiting list fund in 1990-91 ; and what are the allocations to regional health authorities.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The National Health Service is treating more patients than ever before, but waiting times in some places and for some specialties are still too long. Next year the waiting list fund will be £33 million. Of this, £20 million will be allocated direct to regional and special health authorities. The allocations to authorities are as follows :
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Region |Allocation
|(£ million)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |1.45
Yorkshire |1.65
Trent |2.00
East Anglian |0.45
North West Thames |1.45
North East Thames |1.60
South East Thames |1.50
South West Thames |0.70
Wessex |1.10
Oxford |0.60
South Western |1.10
West Midlands |2.85
Mersey |1.45
North Western |1.90
Special Health Authorities for the London
Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals |0.20
Total |20.00
The remainder of the fund is being earmarked for a special targeted attack on the 100 longest specialty waiting lists in the country. Key data for these lists will be examined by inter-authority comparisons and consultancy, a team of management consultants who are currently investigating the causes of long waiting lists in 22 districts. They will advise whether waiting list fund money should be allocated to regions to help districts tackle these 100 long lists, and will visit selected districts to investigate the problems at first hand.
This £33 million brings the Government's investment in the drive to tackle waiting times to £119 million over four years. In the first three years, the fund has enabled well over 300,000 in-patients and day cases, and over 200,000 out-patients, to be treated.
Consultants
Sir Neil Macfarlane : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will be in a position to make an announcement on the proposed allocation of public funds and on management training for consultants.
Mr. Freeman : I have today announced the allocation of £1 million to the successful regions. The programmes of training are due to commence in April 1990. Residential training courses will be brief (about four weeks) and will teach basic principles of management for consultants who wish to play a part in the management of the NHS. There was an extremely enthusiastic response to the invitation to put forward bids for this scheme and the general quality of submissions received was most impressive. Seven regions, in all, will benefit from central funding. A national evaluation process will be an important part of this initiative.
Health Authority Members
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he estimates the annual remuneration of non-officer members of health authorities and family practitioner services authorities under the National Health Service and Community Care Bill will be.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This is still under consideration.
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Community Health Councils
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual budget allocation for community health councils.
Mr. Freeman : The expenses of community health councils are met by and form part of the total expenditure of the health authorities concerned. It is for health authorities to decide on the level of funding that they provide to community health councils. The summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities for 1988-89 record revenue expenditure on community health councils totalling £8,004,257. This is a provisional figure, subject to audit.
Abortion
Mr. Amess : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will update the following tables of statistics printed in the special report and report of the Select Committee on the Infant Life (Preservation) Bill, H.L. Paper 153 of 1986-87 and H.L. Paper 50 of 1987-88, to cover 1987, 1988 and 1989 (a) the number of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967, gestation by completed weeks by statutory grounds and category of premises, residents and non-residents, England and Wales, in the special report on pages 22 to 26 and the report on pages 72 to 73 ; and (b) the number of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967, gestation by completed weeks by statutory grounds and mother's age, England and Wales as in the special report on pages 28 to 37 and in the report on pages 74 to 77.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 24 November 1989] : The information requested has been placed in the Library, and I have sent my hon. Friend a copy.
AIDS
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will outline the reasons for the closure of the Health Education Authority's AIDS unit ;
(2) what discussions he had with the director of the Health Education Authority about the future of the AIDS unit prior to that unit's closure ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 4 December 1989] : The planned internal reorganisation of the Health Education Authority is entirely a matter for the authority, and we played no part in the HEA's decisions on this issue. The HEA's chairman made it clear at the expert symposium on HIV and AIDS organised jointly by the Department and the HEA on 24 November that part of the reorganisation of the HEA's business will involve the management of its AIDS work with that of its six other major health topic programmes. The authority considers that this will increase effectiveness and reflect the AIDS programme's close links with many other aspects of the authority's work. These changes will involve no dilution of the HEA's HIV prevention effort.
Drug Overdoses
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents have been recorded in each of the past 10 years of (a) suicide, (b) parasuicide and (c) accidental death as a result of overdoses of drugs containing paracetemol.
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Mr. Freeman [holding answer 4 December 1989] : The information is not available in the exact form requested. The available information is shown in the table.
Number of deaths from poisoning by drugs containing paracetamol
which were (a) suicides, (b) undetermined whether accidentally
or
purposely inflicted, and (c) accidenal, in England and Wales,
1977-87
Deaths
Year |(a) Suicide |(b) |(c) Accident
|Undetermined
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1977 |92 |41 |32
1978 |127 |45 |36
1979 |126 |33 |30
1980 |109 |37 |26
<1>1981 |n.a. |n.a. |n.a.
1982 |105 |40 |33
1983 |117 |40 |27
1984 |118 |55 |25
1985 |138 |54 |32
1986 |138 |68 |31
1987 |116 |87 |35
<1>Not available due to industrial action by registration
officers.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents have been recorded in each of the past 10 years of (a) suicide, (b) parasuicide and (c) accidental death as a result of overdoses of drugs available (i) on prescription and (ii) over the counter to the general public.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 4 December 1989] : The information is not available in the exact form requested. The available information is shown in the tables.
Table (b) E850-E858<1>: Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biologicals Year |Deaths --------------------- 1979 |436 1980 |427 1981 |423 1982 |445 1983 |376 1984 |375 1985 |309 1986 |319 1987 |342 1988 |327 E850 Accidental poisoning by analgesics, sntipyretics, antirheumatics E851 Accidental poisoning by barbiturates E850 Accidental poisoning by other sedatives and hypnotics E853 Accidental poisining by tranquillizers E854 Accidental poidoning by other psychotropic agents E855 Accidental poisoning by other drugs acting on central and automatic nervous systems E856 Accidental poisoning by antibiotics E858 Accidental poisoning by other drugs #TCW89120601c 0 Table (c) Poisoning by solid or liquid substances, undertermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted E980<2> Year |Deaths --------------------- 1979 |566 1980 |507 1981 |435 1982 |465 1983 |418 1984 |441 1985 |444 1986 |555 1987 |564 1988 |602 E980.0 Analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics. E980.1 Barbiturates. E980.2 Other sedatives and hypnotics. E980.3 Tranquillizers and other pyschotropic agents. E980.4 Other specified drugs and medicaments. E980.5 Unspecified drug or medicament. <1> International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision. <2> All categories ( except that relating to barbiturates) include some drugs available only on prescription and others available over the counter to the general public.
Table (b) E850-E858<1>: Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biologicals Year |Deaths --------------------- 1979 |436 1980 |427 1981 |423 1982 |445 1983 |376 1984 |375 1985 |309 1986 |319 1987 |342 1988 |327 E850 Accidental poisoning by analgesics, sntipyretics, antirheumatics E851 Accidental poisoning by barbiturates E850 Accidental poisoning by other sedatives and hypnotics E853 Accidental poisining by tranquillizers E854 Accidental poidoning by other psychotropic agents E855 Accidental poisoning by other drugs acting on central and automatic nervous systems E856 Accidental poisoning by antibiotics E858 Accidental poisoning by other drugs #TCW89120601c 0 Table (c) Poisoning by solid or liquid substances, undertermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted E980<2> Year |Deaths --------------------- 1979 |566 1980 |507 1981 |435 1982 |465 1983 |418 1984 |441 1985 |444 1986 |555 1987 |564 1988 |602 E980.0 Analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics. E980.1 Barbiturates. E980.2 Other sedatives and hypnotics. E980.3 Tranquillizers and other pyschotropic agents. E980.4 Other specified drugs and medicaments. E980.5 Unspecified drug or medicament. <1> International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision. <2> All categories ( except that relating to barbiturates) include some drugs available only on prescription and others available over the counter to the general public.
Table (b) E850-E858<1>: Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biologicals Year |Deaths --------------------- 1979 |436 1980 |427 1981 |423 1982 |445 1983 |376 1984 |375 1985 |309 1986 |319 1987 |342 1988 |327 E850 Accidental poisoning by analgesics, sntipyretics, antirheumatics E851 Accidental poisoning by barbiturates E850 Accidental poisoning by other sedatives and hypnotics E853 Accidental poisining by tranquillizers E854 Accidental poidoning by other psychotropic agents E855 Accidental poisoning by other drugs acting on central and automatic nervous systems E856 Accidental poisoning by antibiotics E858 Accidental poisoning by other drugs #TCW89120601c 0 Table (c) Poisoning by solid or liquid substances, undertermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted E980<2> Year |Deaths --------------------- 1979 |566 1980 |507 1981 |435 1982 |465 1983 |418 1984 |441 1985 |444 1986 |555 1987 |564 1988 |602 E980.0 Analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics. E980.1 Barbiturates. E980.2 Other sedatives and hypnotics. E980.3 Tranquillizers and other pyschotropic agents. E980.4 Other specified drugs and medicaments. E980.5 Unspecified drug or medicament. <1> International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision. <2> All categories ( except that relating to barbiturates) include some drugs available only on prescription and others available over the counter to the general public.
Project 2000
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the proposals in "Top Up Loans for Students", Cm. 520, with regard to benefit entitlement will have on students pursuing Project 2000 courses of nursing education.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 4 December 1989] : The Government accepted the proposals of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting that Project 2000 students should have student, rather than employee, status and receive bursaries rather than salaries. The Government remain committed to removing entitlement to income support, unemployment benefit and housing benefit from students with the exception of single parents and disabled people.
The basic level of bursary for Project 2000 students under 26 is currently £4,700 per annum in London, and £4,000 per annum elsewhere. These amounts will not be means-tested. Project 2000 students, like other students in full-time education, will pay only 20 per cent. of the community charge.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Monopolies and Mergers Commission
10. Mr. Litherland : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether there has been any change in the role of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in recent years.
Mr. Ridley : The principal role of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission has not changed, but its role has been extended over recent years by certain provisions in the Telecommunications Act, the Airports Act, the Gas Act, the Water Act and the Electricity Act.
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Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the current referrals before the Monopolies and Mergers Commission with expected dates for receipt and publication of each report.Column 286
Mr. Redwood : The references currently before the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are as follows :
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Type of |Subject Matter |Referral |Due (in date |Extended to reference |order ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Monopoly |Wholesale Petrol Supply |9 November 1988 |8 November 1989 |20 December 1989 Merger |Atlas Copco/Desoutter Brothers |20 September 1989 |19 December 1989 Merger |Colne Valley/Lee Valley/Rickmansworth Water |7 September 1989 |12 January 1990 Merger |Michelin/National Tyre Services |31 October 1989 |30 January 1990 Monopoly |Electrical Contracting at London exhibition halls|10 May 1989 |9 February 1990 Merger |BUPA/HCA |21 November 1989 |28 February 1990 Monopoly |Cinema Advertising |28 June 1989 |27 March 1990 Monopoly |Plasterboard |28 November 1989 |31 July 1990
The publication schedule for each report is decided when a report is submitted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The date of publication remains confidential for reasons of market sensitivity. In all cases we aim to publish a report as soon after it has been submitted as is practicable.
Data Processing Equipment
22. Mr. Randall : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market for electronic computers supplied by imports.
59. Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market of electronic computers supplied by imports.
Mr. McWilliam : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market of electronic computers supplied by imports.
Mr. Forth : The information sought is not readily available, since imports include imports for re-export while exports include those for re- import. Such entrepot trade is an important feature of international trade in electronic data processing (EDP) equipment. However, information published by the Central Statistics Office in "Business Monitor PQ 3302 Electronic Data processing equipment" (HMSO) shows that in 1988 total imports of EDP equipment were at a level equivalent to 90 per cent. of the United Kingdom's home market, while total exports were at a level equivalent to 76 per cent. of the United Kingdom's home market.
18. Mr. Leadbitter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.
32. Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.
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98. Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.
Mr. Forth : Based on data compiled and published by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom had an estimated net surplus of £785 million, not a deficit, with the European Community countries in respect of electronic data processing equipment.
66. Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.
81. Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.
Mr. Forth : Based on data compiled by and available from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom had an estimated net surplus of £299 million, not a deficit, with West Germany in respect of electronic data processing equipment.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1979 and for each year since 1984 and the current year to date (i) estimated sales of United Kingdom manufactured computers in SITC 752 plus parts in SITC 759.97, together with imports and exports, (ii) the ratio of exports to sales and (iii) the ratio of imports to home demand ; and if he will provide an estimate of the import content of industry sales, together with the percentage share of exports to total exports of manufactures to one place of decimals.
Mr. Forth : The latest available information is given in the following table. There are no official estimates of the import content of industry sales.
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Electronic Data Processing Equipment ------------------------------------------------------------- 1979 |980 |834 |1,024|1,170|85 |88 |2.7 1984 |2,519|2,599|3,561|3,481|103 |102 |5.6 1985 |3,459|3,314|3,919|4,064|96 |96 |6.3 1986 |2,954|3,094|3,916|3,776|105 |104 |5.7 1987 |4,282|3,900|4,774|5,156|91 |93 |6.4 1988<1> |5,175|4,592|5,473|6,056|89 |90 |7.0 January-June 1989<1> |2,565|2,382|3,191|3,374|93 |95 |6.5 <1>=Provisional. Notes: 1. Electronic Data Processing Equipment is defined as 752 plus 759.97 of SITC (Rev. 3). The corresponding classification for sales data is Activity Heading 3302 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). 1979 sales data have been adjusted to correspond to current definitions. 2. Home Market=Sales less Exports plus Imports. 3. Imports include imports for re-export while exports incude exports for re-import. Where such entrepot trade is significant import: home market ratios and exports: sales ratios, as normally defined, can approach and even exceed 100 per cent. 4. Manufactures is defined as Sections 5 to 8 of the SITC.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1979 and for each year since 1984 and the current year to date sales of United Kingdom manufactured computers in SITC 752.3, plus imports and exports, together with (i) the ratio of exports to manufactured sales, (ii) the ratio of imports to home demand and (iii) his estimate of the value of imports for (a) re-export, (b) direct sales to the United Kingdom market and (c) the import content of United Kingdom manufactured exports ;
(2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the value, volume and average value of imports and exports of computers in SITC 752.3 ; what assessment he has made of the proportion of exports manufactured outside the United Kingdom and the change in United Kingdom content of those manufactured in the United Kingdom since 1986 ; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the levels of average value and volume in 1988.
Mr. Forth : The classification system used for the collection of sales statistics is different from that used for international trade. Consequently data on sales of computers corresponding to SITC 752.3 are not available. The ratio of exports to manufactured sales and the ratio of imports to home demand cannot, therefore, be calculated. Imports are not broken down into those for re-export or direct sale to the United Kingdom market. There are no official estimates of the import content of United Kingdom-manufactured exports of computers. The table gives the available information on imports and exports relating to SITC 752.3. The introduction of a new classification system at the start of 1988 and changes in the reporting of some exports during that year may have affected the consistency and the quality of the detailed figures for computers. Therefore average values, which are in fact unit values for 1988 should be treated with caution.
United Kingdom Imports and Exports: SITC 752.3
Imports |Value |Volume |Unit value
|£ million |thousands |£ thousands
------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |81 |10 |8.4
1984 |717 |984 |0.7
1985 |795 |941 |0.8
1986 |749 |325 |2.3
1987 |934 |363 |2.6
1988 |891 |564 |1.6
<1>1989 |829 |816 |1.0
<1> January-September (provisional).
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Exports |Value |Volume |Unit value
|£ million |thousands |£ thousands
------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |22 |5 |4.4
1984 |597 |1,702 |0.4
1985 |600 |1,191 |0.5
1986 |584 |242 |2.4
1987 |693 |205 |3.4
1988 |1,641 |(2,772) |(0.6)
<1>1989 |1,577 |680 |2.3
<1> January-September (provisional).
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom,
HMSO.
Trade Deficit (West Germany)
14. Mr. David Young : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany.
23. Mr. Harry Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : In the first nine months of 1989 imports of manufactures into the United Kingdom consigned from the Federal Republic of Germany exceeded United Kingdom exports to that country by £7.4 billion.
20. Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany since 1979.
Mr. Ridley : The crude deficit with the Federal Republic of Germany in manufactured goods was £4.0 billion in 1979 and £8.7 billion in 1988, at 1988 constant prices.
68. Mr. Radice : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany since 1979.
93. Mr. Haynes : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany since 1979.
Mr. Redwood : The crude deficit with the Federal Republic of Germany in manufactured goods was £2.5 billion in 1979 and £8.7 billion in 1988 at current prices, an increase of £6.2 billion.
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EC Consumer Council
19. Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent European Economic Community consumer council meeting.
36. Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent EEC Consumer Council meeting.
Mr. Forth : A resolution identifying priorities for the relaunch of consumer policy was agreed. The draft directives on package travel and product safety were discussed without substantive conclusions and both dossiers were remitted to COREPER. The Commission outlined its plans for improved representation of consumers at Community level and indicated that new Commission proposals for the European home and leisure accident surveillance system would be forwarded to the Council soon.
Girobank
24. Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank.
Mr. Forth : As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 27 November, the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 20 April that the Post Office Board had accepted a conditional offer from the Alliance and Leicester Building Society for Girobank. The Post Office and the Alliance and Leicester are engaged in detailed negotiations with a view to completing the sale as soon as practicable.
The regulatory authorities will need to be satisfied and my consent will be required before the sale can take place.
48. Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Girobank.
55. Mr. Allan Roberts : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank.
77. Mr. Heffer : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank.
85. Mr. Ted Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Girobank.
54. Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Girobank.
Mr. Forth : I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 27 November.
Financial Services
21. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the regulation of financial services.
Mr. Ridley : I receive a considerable number of representations on a variety of topics relating to the
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regulation of financial services. We consider very carefully those which relate to the scope of the framework of the regulatory system, or the powers under the Financial Services Act which the Government retain. Those which relate to matters which are the responsibility of the SIB or another regulatory authority are passed to the appropriate body.25. Mr. Buckley : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the Financial Services Act is being operated to the benefit of the investor.
106. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the Financial Services Act is being operated to the benefit of the investor.
Mr. Ridley : I am satisfied that the Financial Services Act is operating in accordance with its central aim, which is to protect investors.
64. Mr. Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the operation of legislation affecting the regulation of insurance brokers and other independent financial advisers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : Insurance brokers are regulated under the Insurance Brokers Registration Act 1977 (IBRA) and in addition, in respect of their business activities, under the Financial Services Act 1986 (FSA). I have no plans to review the operation of the IBRA. A number of changes to the FSA are included in the new Companies Act which may affect the regulation of independent financial advisers, including insurance brokers in respect of their investment business activities. I have no plans to review further the operation of the FSA.
88. Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the regulation of financial services.
Mr. Redwood : I receive a considerable number of representations on a variety of topics relating to the regulation of financial services. We consider very carefully those which relate to the scope of the framework of the regulatory system, or the powers under the Financial Services Act which the Government retain. Those which relate to matters which are the responsibility of the SIB or another regulatory authority are passed to the appropriate body.
Trade Barriers
26. Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to ensure that the European Economic Community does not erect protectionist trade barriers.
Mr. Ridley : I am against protectionism. I will certainly ensure that all proposals for protectionist trade policy action are rigorously opposed by the United Kingdom.
30. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the measures designed to remove barriers to trade in connection with the creation of a single European market have now been adopted, agreed in principle or had common positions agreed.
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Mr. Redwood : Of the measures in the European Commission's White Paper, "Completing the Internal Market", 152 have now been adopted, agreed in principle or had common positions agreed.Car Production
27. Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cars were built in the United Kingdom in (a) 1978 and (b) 1988.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : In 1978 1,222,949 cars were built in the United Kingdom as compared with 1,226,835 in 1988, making last year the best year for car production since 1977.
94. Mr. McAvoy : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement concerning the future of the production of cars and allied products in the United Kingdom.
110. Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement concerning the future of the production of cars and allied products in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Car output has increased in recent years and, with the additional investments now being made by a number of companies, looks set to expand significantly in the 1990s.
Manufacturing Trade Balance
28. Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects British manufacturing trade to be in balance with (a) West Germany and (b) the rest of the European Economic Community.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Government are committed to free trade as being in the best interests of the United Kingdom. We cannot expect this to produce a trade balance with every partner ; nevertheless, the Government recognise the importance of continuing to encourage exports through the activities of the British Overseas Trade Board.
53. Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects British manufacturing trade to be in balance with (a) West Germany and (b) the rest of the European Economic Community.
Mr. Redwood : The Government are committed to free trade as being in the best interests of the United Kingdom. We cannot expect this to produce a trade balance with every partner ; nevertheless, the Government recognise the importance of continuing to encourage and support exports through inter alia the activities of the British Overseas Trade Board and ECGD.
62. Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects British manufacturing trade to be in balance with (a) West Germany and (b) the rest of the European Economic Community.
Mr. Redwood : The Government are committed to free trade being in the best interests of the United Kingdom. The Government recognise the importance of continuing to encourage exports through the activities of the British Overseas Trade Board, including the recent successful
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Focus Germany Campaign. It is also pressing to open the financial services markets throughout the European Community which should help the British financial service sector and increase our invisible exports.Manufacturing Trade Deficit
71. Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the manufacturing trade deficit with European Community countries.
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