§ 4. Mr. Bellengerasked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the conflicting reports which are being circulated as to the nature of the Anglo-German coal agreement, he can now make a statement as to the progress of negotiations for an international agreement between the various exporting countries?
§ Captain CrookshankBeyond assuring the hon. Member that progress is being made in the negotiations for an international coal agreement, I have nothing at present to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Pontypool (Mr. Jenkins) on 31st January and to the subsequent replies by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade on 14th February.
§ Mr. BellengerWhat is the necessity for all this secrecy over an agreement which is well-known throughout the whole of the coal trade in England, and in much wider circles than that? Why is the 1890 House of Commons the only organisation which does not know the terms of the agreement?
§ Captain CrookshankI do not know that these details are known all over the country. Anyhow, it is not an agreement at this stage. It is an alignment of views between the German and British coal trades. It is only the first step towards international negotiations. I very much deprecate these conflicting reports being circulated. I do not think they serve any useful purpose while negotiations are actually going on.
§ Mr. A. JenkinsIs it not a fact that a draft agreement has been reached, and, if so, why cannot we have a statement as to the terms of that agreement?
§ Captain CrookshankNo, Sir; it is only an alignment of views between the German and British coal industries. An international agreement requires the prior assent of a great many other countries.
§ Mr. T. SmithWhen the negotiations are concluded will a White Paper be issued?
§ Captain CrookshankI cannot say that. I am not negotiating; it is the particular industries that are doing so. These two industries have come to an agreement as to their own position. They are negotiating with the industries of other countries, and it is not a Governmental negotiation.
§ Mr. JenkinsWill the Minister undertake to make a statement to the House on this matter at the earliest possible date?
§ Captain CrookshankCertainly. As soon as there is anything definite to report, I am sure the House would wish to know, and I shall be only too anxious to make it known. But I must emphasise again that these are not inter-Governmental negotiations; they are trade negotiations.