HC Deb 02 March 1936 vol 309 cc977-8
5. Sir CYRIL COBB

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the agreement of 14th February between the Argentine federal authorities and the railways provided that the suspended Transport Co-ordination Bill should be enacted as part of the relief of the burden imposed upon the Anglo-Argentine trans- port concerns; and, if no such arrangement was made, will he await the passing of the Transport Co-ordination Bill, which passed the Argentine lower house last autumn, before the renewal of any Anglo-Argentine trade agreement?

7. Capatin RAMSAY

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the date upon which the Argentine Government proposes to present the Transport Co-ordination Bill to the Argentine Senate; and whether its provisions will alleviate the principal grievances of the British-owned railway systems?

Viscount CRANBORNE

So far as I am aware, the agreement recently concluded between the Argentine authorities and the British railway companies, which is of a private character, did not deal with the enactment of the Transport Co-ordination Bill. As stated in this House on 16th December, that Bill will come before the Senate when Congress re-assembles. As regards the question of the renewal of the Anglo-Argentine Agreement of 1933, I have nothing to add to the reply returned by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to a question put by my hon. Friend the Member for South Croydon (Mr. H. G. Williams) on 6th February.

34. Mr. LIDDALL

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will arrange that acceptance of any impending Anglo-Argentine trade agreement shall be conditional upon the abolition of ill-treatment of non-Argentine capital invested in the Anglo-Argentine railways?

Captain EUAN WALLACE (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)

Representations have already been made to the Argentine Government on this subject. I can assure my hon. Friend that the general treatment of British capital invested in Argentina will be borne in mind in any negotiations for a trade agreement.