Zimbabwe Kate Hoey To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on UK-Zimbabwe trade relations Mr. McCartney There has been a substantial fall in UK-Zimbabwe trade in recent years. In 2000, UK and Zimbabwe two-way trade amounted to £143 million. Imports from Zimbabwe were mainly agricultural products with tobacco, making up approximately 31 per cent. of the total imports. Exports were mainly manufactured goods, with office machines and ADP equipment topping the table at £5.3 million. By 2005, two-way trade had fallen to £66 million. The principal change was in tobacco imports, which fell to £4.8 million from £31 million in 2000 down 85 per cent. Exports also fell, with the leading export, road vehicles, topping the table at £3.5 million. The decline in trade can be attributed to the policies of the Government of Zimbabwe which have brought about the fall of both imports and exports. A breakdown of UK exports and imports by sector for 2004 and 2005 is shown in the following table. HMG have not imposed any economic sanctions or restrictions on doing business in Zimbabwe and two-way trade continues, although as the aforementioned figures show, at a substantially reduced level. It is our view that economic sanctions would harm the people of Zimbabwe at a time of humanitarian crisis, while having very little impact on the ZANU (PF) leadership. The people of Zimbabwe have suffered enough. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Division and description |£000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Top 10 UK exports | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |75 Office machines and ADP equipment |4,878 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |78 Road vehicles |4,563 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |76 Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus |2,648 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |72 Specialised industrial machinery |1,807 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |74 General industrial machinery and equipment, nes and machine parts nes |1,590 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |77 Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, nes and electrical parts thereof |1,111 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |71 Power generating machinery and equipment |899 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |87 Professional, scientific and control instruments (and apparatus nes) |557 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |67 Iron and steel |505 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |26 Textile fibres |498 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total of top 10 |19,056| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total trade |26,005| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |78 Road vehicles |3,473 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |75 Office machines and ADP equipment |3,379 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |72 Specialised industrial machinery |2,370 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |76 Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus |1,545 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |74 General industrial machinery and equipment, nes and machine parts nes |1,528 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |71 Power generating machinery and equipment |1,238 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |00 Live animals other than of Div. 03 |740 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |26 Textile fibres |716 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |87 Professional, scientific and control instruments (and apparatus nes) |702 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |77 Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, nes and electrical parts thereof |670 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total of top 10 |16,362| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total trade |22,113| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Top 10 UK imports | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |06 Sugar, sugar preparations and honey |22,554| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |05 Vegetables and fruit |8,185 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |12 Tobacco and tobacco manufactures |8,182 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |82 Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, mattresses, supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings|1,675 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |66 Non-metallic mineral manufactures |1,256 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |07 Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof |1,212 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |68 Non-ferrous metals |956 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |65 Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles, nes |935 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |76 Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus |464 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |29 Crude animal and vegetable materials |317 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total of top 10 |45,736| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total trade |47,779| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |66 Non-metallic mineral manufactures |14,970| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |06 Sugar, sugar preparations and honey |13,087| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |05 Vegetables and fruit |7,182 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |12 Tobacco and tobacco manufactures |4,768 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |82 Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, mattresses, supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings|912 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |07 Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof |495 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |65 Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles, nes |374 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |67 Iron and steel |217 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |84 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories |144 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |79 Other transport equipment |117 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total of top 10 |42,266| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Total trade |43,564| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Source: DTI Analysis of HM Revenue and Customs data. | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------