§ 27. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the action of the British delegation at the League of Nations when the Swedish representative demanded that measures should be taken as soon as possible by international action to avoid the drawbacks of dumping policy by State action?
§ Mr. GILLETTThe Swedish delegation, at the recent Assembly of the League of Nations, proposed that an international inquiry should be held into the question, of dumping and in particular how far it was compatible with the most-favoured-nation clause. This proposal was supported by the British representative on the Second Commission, who said in her speech:
We agree with the Swedish delegate that the essential questions which require consideration are the three he mentioned, that is to say the position of anti-dumping measures in relation to the most-favoured-nation clause; the interpretation of the term 'similar products,' and the position of quota agreements.In pursuance of a resolution passed by the Assembly, the whole question is now under examination by the Economic Organisation of the League.
§ 29. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the request of the Rumanian delegate at the League of Nations Assembly that the Economic Committee should take up the question of Russian dumping had the support of the British Government; and whether he has any information of decisions arrived at by the Warsaw Conference of Eastern European Nations on this question?
§ Mr. GILLETTI am not aware of any resolution referring specifically to Russian dumping. A number of resolutions were, however, submitted to the League of Nations by the eight countries represented at the Warsaw Conference, one of which suggested that it was now time to study the problem created by direct and indirect bounties on the export of agricultural products with a view to concluding an International Convention for the abolition of such bounties. This resolution was supported by the representative of His Majesty's Government who said that the British Government welcome the decision to consider and put forward proposals tending to the suppression of direct or indirect bounties on the exportation of agricultural products.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIs it the case that the Rumanian Government have already taken action to prohibit all imports from Russia?
§ Mr. GILLETTI am afraid that I have no information on that point. The hon. and gallant Member must give me notice of the question.
Sir F. HALLIs the hon. Member aware that the German Government have largely increased their tariffs against Russia?