Economy: Overseas Trade Deficit Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Economy: Overseas Trade Deficit

Baroness Stowell of Beeston Excerpts
Wednesday 25th May 2016

(8 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Stowell of Beeston Portrait The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston) (Con)
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My Lords, I hesitate to intervene, but the House does seem to be calling for the noble Lord, Lord Pearson.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch Portrait Lord Pearson of Rannoch
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Do the Government accept that, according to their own Pink Book, we have had a growing trade deficit with the EU for the last five years totalling some £358 billion but a growing surplus with the rest of the world of £61 billion? Does not this also mean that the EU has many more jobs dependent on its free trade with us than we do on our free trade with it, which will therefore be in its interest to continue if we come to leave the European Union itself?