§ 56. Mr. CHORLTONasked the President of the Board of Trade what further steps have been taken to ensure that debts owing to British traders, particularly in European countries, have been, or shortly will be, liquidated, and the restrictions on the export of currency removed?
§ Mr. RUNC1MANThe restoration of general prosperity offers the only real solution of the present difficulties. In the meanwhile the efforts of His Majesty's Government continue to be directed in the first place towards the mitigation of existing measures of exchange control so far as that is consistent with the economic position of the countries concerned. In the second place our efforts are directed towards securing that British creditors receive treatment not less favourable than those of other nationalities, and in the third place towards the adoption of measures calculated to benefit British creditors without being injurious to British interests generally. Such measures include arrangements of the nature indicated in the reply given to the hon. Member on 5th July last.
§ Mr. CHORLTONCan the right hon. Gentleman say if any real progress has been made?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANEfforts have been made to work out a clearing-house scheme, but up to the present nothing has been suggested which would not have more evils attached to it than good.