Chapter 1 - Finance
                         
Table 1.14 Ministry of Defence Estimated Balance of Payments for Trade in Services
Balance of Payments is a measure of the UK's trading account with the rest of the world. Trade in Services are provisions of services (e.g. training, cleaning services, IT support etc.) between UK residents and non-residents, and transactions in goods which are not freighted out of the country in which they take place; these transactions are not recorded in the official 'Trade in Goods' statistics. A detailed discussion of these concepts can by found in the latest edition of The Pink Book published by the Office for National Statistics.

Further information about the quality of data and methods used in the production of these statistics, along with details of their intended use can be found in the Background Quality Report - Trade Statistics.

The data in this table are outside the scope of National Statistics because they do not meet all of the high professional quality assurance standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
Current Prices (£ million)
    2000   2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 1 2009 2 2010
Net Balance
 -1 633   -1 762 -1 717 -1 979 -2 338 -3 061   -3 276 r -3 170
 
Total Debits
 1 840   2 200 2 152 2 471 2 763 3 366   3 619 r 3 504
Expenditure3
                      
 
Germany
 709   1 190 1 231 1 244 1 501 1 822   2 371 r 2 187
 
Other identified NATO countries
 862   801 573 755 881 1 310   1 032 r 1 090
 
Mediterranean
 130   168 182 226 175 92   88   86
 
Far East
 -   - - - - -   -   -
 
Other areas
 139   41 166 245 206 142   128   140
 
Total Credits
 207   438 435 492 425 304   343   334
Receipts4
                      
 
Receipts from US Forces in UK
 149   126 128 126 116 127   149   150
 
Other Receipts
 58   312 307 366 309 177   194   184
Source: DASA(Defence Expenditure Analysis)
1. The large increase in 'Total Debits' in 2008 was mainly due to two factors. First, the stronger Dollar / Euro exchange rates against the pound which has increased the cost of purchasing these currencies during 2008 and second, an increase in expenditure in both currencies on Urgent Operational Requirements.
2. Revisions to 2009 figures are due to the better identification of the amount of payments made on Collaborative projects that relate to goods. See Defence Statistics Bulletin No 11 for more detail.
3. Based on drawings of foreign exchange.
4. A mix of export sales and receipts from other Government and International Organisations for services provided overseas and to overseas forces based in the UK.