Trade Balance

Mr. Laurence Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the United Kingdom's trade balance with other EU countries in each year since 1969. [78943]

Mr. Wilson
[holding answer 26 March 1999]: The information is in the following tables. Figures for trade in goods have been provided on an Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS) basis. Figures for trade in services are on a Balance of Payments (BOP) basis. The main difference between trade on an OTS and BOP basis is that BOP figures exclude goods not changing ownership. In 1998 this resulted in a difference of less than 1 per cent. in the export values. Import figures on a BOP basis also exclude the cost of insurance and freight. In 1998 this resulted in a difference of just under 3 per cent. in the import values.

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|1988|
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|1989|
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|1990|
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|1991|
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|1992|
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|1993|
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|1994|
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|1995|
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|1996|
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|1997|
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|1998|
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|1969|
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|1970|
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|1971|
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|1972|
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|1973|
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|1974|
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|1975|
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|1976|
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|1977|
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|1978|
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|1979|
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|1980|
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|1981|
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|1982|
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|1983|
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|1984|
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|1985|
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|1986|
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|1987|
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|1988|
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|1989|
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|1990|
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|1991|
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|1992|
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|1993|
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|1994|
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|1995|
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|1996|
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|1997|
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|1998|
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|1988|
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|1989|
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|1990|
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|1991|
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|1992|
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|1993|
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|1994|
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|1995|
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|1996|
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|1997|
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|1998|
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|1988|
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|1989|
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|1990|
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|1991|
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|1992|
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|1993|
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|1994|
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|1995|
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|1996|
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|1997|
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|1998|
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Note:

Figures for trade in goods are on an Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS) basis. Figures for trade in services are on a Balance of Payments (BOP) basis. Trade with EU institutions is included in the EU Total. Information on UK trade in services is only available from 1988.

Sources:

Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics (MRETS), ONS

UK Trade in Services, ONS

Annual Abstract of Statistics, ONS