§ 47. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Prime Minister whether, before the British public is asked to provide further money for the development of East Africa, especially in the direction of cotton-growing, he will state the intentions of the Government with respect to international action aimed at rationing the chief raw materials of the world so that there may be no mistake as to the Imperial character of any scheme for which funds are required and solicited?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe imposition of a stipulation that cotton produced in East Africa should be consumed entirely within the Empire would contravene the treaty obligations affecting the Conventional Basin of the Congo confirmed recently by the Convention of St. Germain, 10th September, 1919. On the question of the possibility of international action being taken with a view to rationing the chief raw materials of the world, I cannot add anything to the reply given on the 13th February by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in answer to a question on this subject by the hon. and gallant Member for Henley (Captain Terrell).
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEIs it not a fact that the Hamburg International, with which the Labour party in this country is affiliated, has passed a resolution with regard to the rationing of cotton?