§ 22. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the regulations of the Norwegian and Swedish Governments under which British commercial travellers are required to take out a licence, costing 100 kroner per month, before they are permitted to discuss business with firms in those countries, and also that the same fee is charged even when the visit is for a week only; and whether it is the intention of the Government to take any steps to impose upon commercial travellers from Scandinavia visiting this country similar restrictions and similar costs?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I am advised that it would not be possible, having regard to the existing treaty engagements between this country on the one hand, and Sweden and Norway on the other, to impose on Swedish or Norwegian commercial travellers restrictions or taxes which are not at the same time applicable to the commercial travellers of every other foreign country.
§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEAre we to understand from the reply that the Government are unable to do anything in the case of Norwegian and Swedish commercial travellers coming to this country; and are we prepared to sit down without doing anything to protect our commercial travellers who are treated in this way?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, Sir. The hon. Member must really understand what I have said in my answer, which is that if you were to attempt to impose this restriction on Norwegian or Swedish commercial travellers you would have to impose Similar restrictions on every other country with which we do business.
§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEThen is it the case that Norway and Sweden are in a position to make a differentiation, and we are not?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, they are not. They make the same terms and charge the same rates for commercial travellers of all countries.