13 JANUARY 1990, Page 20

Costa de la Lluvia

I WAS pointing the finger last week at our biggest and least excusable importer, Her Majesty's Government. Of last year's appalling £20 billion balance-of-payments deficit, government transactions will have accounted for the best part of £7 billion. I must now thank Richard Mason of the British Invisible Exports Council for telling me that HMG pays (at the last count) £456 million a year of social security benefits abroad. These seem to be pensions paid to Brits who have retired to the Costa del Sol. I can see only one remedy. The BIEC must mount one of its overseas missions, to impress upon aging Spaniards the charms of retiring to rainy Torquay.