§ 18. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board have considered the possibility of making arrangements with foreign Powers having controlled exchanges so that money due from British nationals in payment for foreign goods and commodities may be retained in this country to provide for payments due to British nationals from the foreign State?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, Sir; but no such arrangement has yet been suggested which on examination has appeared likely to be beneficial to British interests.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs not this a matter to which the Board of Trade should devote their immediate attention, seeing how necessary it is to encourage trade with those countries which have controlled exchanges, and in order to give employment in this country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes. We have had no fewer than three separate inquiries, covering South Europe, North Europe and elsewhere, and the conclusion that each of these inquiries came to was that it was not in the British interest.
§ Mr. MAXTONWill this question be considered at the World Economic Conference among other things?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThere is no reason why it should not be.