asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and Japan; and what difference to this balance would be made by a purchase of the British Rapier surface-to-air weapon. system.

The United Kingdom had a deficit on bilateral visible trade with Japan of £944 million in the period January to October 1980; this is likely to be offset slightly by a small balance on invisible trade in favour of the United Kingdom. The deficit would have been reduced by a sale of Rapier to an extent depending on what was purchased.