§ 43. Mr. Priceasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the President of the United States has declared his readiness to assist a general economic settlement with European countries; whether, therefore, he is now able to state that, as a first step in this direction, the commercial treaty now being negotiated between the United States and Great Britain will shortly be concluded.
§ Mr. R. S. Hudson (Secretary Overseas Trade Department)I presume the hon. Member refers to the joint statement recently issued by the President of the United States and the Belgian Prime Minister, of the terms of which I am aware. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger).
§ Mr. PriceCan the hon. Member say what reason is hindering the conclusion of an Anglo-American agreement?
§ Mr. HudsonNone as far as I know. My right hon. Friend said that explorations are taking place at the present time to find whether there is a basis for such an agreement.
§ 46. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Prime Minister whether he has any statement to make following his interview with the Belgian Prime Minister in relation to the work of rebuilding international trade, cooperation in monetary matters, and the reduction of armaments?
§ The Prime MinisterAt my interview with the Belgian Prime Minister, at which the Foreign Secretary was also present, 341 M. Van. Zeeland reported the results of his conversations with the President and others in the United States of America. It was agreed between us that M. Van Zeeland should proceed with his inquiries with a view to ascertaining in the first instance how far it was possible to obtain agreement on certain general principles of economic policy among a number of States, including the signatories of and adherents to the Tripartite Currency Agreement.
§ Mr. HendersonIn view of the fact that President Roosevelt and M. Van Zeeland issued a joint statement expressing the respective points of view of their particular Governments, would it not be desirable for His Majesty's Government, in conjunction with the Belgian Government, to do the same thing?
§ The Prime MinisterA communiqué has been issued as to the results of the interview, and I do not think anything further is necessary.
§ Mr. ShinwellMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. KirkwoodWhat is the matter, Mr. Speaker? Can you not keep them in order?
§ Mr. ShinwellMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether in this very important matter M. Van Zeeland is regarded as the only intermediary between the United States Government and ourselves, and the only vehicle of United Kingdom expression?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. M. Van Zeeland was invited by the French Government and His Majesty's Government jointly to undertake a mission of preliminary exploration and examination, and it is in that capacity that he has been conducting these investigations.