HC Deb 02 June 1930 vol 239 cc1764-5
71. Major CARVER

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will issue a statement setting forth the nature of the representations made by the Government during the past 12 months at Geneva and elsewhere with regard to the dumping of subsidised cereals at British ports, together with the replies that have been received to these representations?

Mr. GILLETT

Conversations on this matter have taken place at Geneva on two occasions. It was raised first in January last, at the Conference of Agricultural Experts by the British Member and again in February at the Conference in connection with the Commercial Convention, by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. On both occasions the German representatives with whom the conversations took place promised that the matter should receive careful consideration. Quite recently my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has again pressed the German Government to enter into negotiations about the importation into this country of subsidised cereals, and an answer to his representations may be expected shortly.

Mr. HANNON

Is not the real means of dealing with matters of this kind the adoption of some retaliatory policy on the part of the Government?