§ 2. Mr. ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUELasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will issue as a White Paper his completed suggestions with regard to world co-operation in the use of gold and the present concentration of gold in the United States and France which causes difficulties both for those countries and others in which price levels have been depressed?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMIt is clearly not for me to attempt to lay down any complete propositions on this highly technical subject which the hon. Member will find fully explained in the reports of the Gold Delegation of the Financial Committee of the League of Nations.
§ Mr. SAMUELWas the right hon. Gentleman speaking with definite views when he made a statement at Leith that in 962 these questions a great deal depended on world co-operation, and will he say what he meant?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI was speaking with quite definite views. I indicated that a matter of this kind could only be settled by international co-operation, and that statement refers to the two reports of the Gold Delegation.
§ Mr. SAMUELWas not the right hon. Gentleman just speaking at large?
§ Mr. GRAHAMNo, I was making a very precise statement.
§ Mr. R. A. TAYLORHave there been any recent conversations between representatives of this country and America, and is there any hope of any agreement and concerted action?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI cannot make any statement on that; that obviously is not for my Department.
§ Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMSWill the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he will not settle this matter purely from the European point of view without consulting the United States and getting their agreement?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI have already indicated that it does not lie with me to settle it at all.