§ 12. Sir CHARLES CAYZERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will request the British Ambassador in Argentina to inquire of the Argentine Government whether, as United Kingdom purchases of Argentine products are annually £25,000,000 more than Argentine purchases of United Kingdom products, the Argentine Government will set up an exchange clearing with Britain in order to reduce the remittance hardships now suffered by British subjects?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEMy hon. Friend will be aware that the Roca Agreement of 1933 contains provisions for 1732 safeguarding United Kingdom interests in matters of exchange. I do not know to what special points my hon. Friend refers in speaking of remittance hardships, but if he has in mind the rate of exchange at which British-owned public utility companies have to make remittances, I would refer him to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hertford (Sir M. Sueter) last Monday.
§ 13 and 28. Sir C. CAYZERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he will notify the Argentine Ambassador in London that His Majesty's Government support the protest made by the British Ambassador in Buenos Aires on 5th December against the continued detention by the Argentine Government, for the sole benefit of Argentina, of money due to the British investors in the Argentine railways;
(2) whether he will remind the Argentine Government that the continuation of regulations which affect adversely the position of British capital invested in the Argentine railroad systems must be taken into account in relation to any renewal or re-arrangement of the Anglo-Argentine Commercial Agreement.
§ Viscount CRANBORNEI assume that my hon. Friend in his Question No. 13 has in mind the speech delivered by His Majesty's Ambassador at the British Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Buenos Aires on 4th December. The views of His Majesty's Government on the position of the British-owned Argentine railways were made clear in the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hertford (Rear-Admiral Sueter) on 16th December.
§ Sir C. CAYZERIs the Noble Lord aware that public opinion in this country will not agree to a renewal of the Anglo-Argentinian Commercial Agreement unless a satisfactory agreement has been arrived at with regard to the withheld dividends of the Argentine railways?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEI think my hon. Friend will find that that matter is covered by my original reply.