HC Deb 08 February 1938 vol 331 cc814-6
7. Mr. Hepworth

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, before agreeing to reduce or stabilise the duties on any import goods in connection with the Anglo-American Trade Agreement, he will undertake to consult representatives of the producers or manufacturers of such goods in Great Britain?

Mr. Stanley

I would refer my hon. friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Croydon, South (Mr. H. G. Williams) on 2nd December.

Mr. Lyons

In view of the uncertainty which that must represent in many specified trades in this country, will my right hon. Friend reconsider the position that must arise?

Mr. Stanley

The position is this: I asked for representations from organisations that thought they might be affected, and I received information from a large number of them. I have asked certain other industries for, up-to-date information so as to have a complete a picture as possible, and, so far as I can foresee, I have had information and representa- tions from every industry in this country that might possibly be covered by any negotiations.

Mr. Lyons

Would my right hon. Friend, later on, receive personal representations from people in an industry whose case has a special bearing on the matter?

Mr. Stanley

I cannot undertake myself to receive them, but we have had a number of personal calls at the Board of Trade from representatives of industries, and of course, if any industry that thinks it is likely to be affected wants to supplement by a personal interview the information it has already given, we shall naturally be glad to see its representatives.

Mr. Wedgwood Benn

Is there any way by which this House, which is assumed to be the taxing authority, can be made privy to these letters and correspondence, and the pressure brought to bear on the Board of Trade?

Mr. Stanley

There is no question here of pressure. It would be absurd for a delegation to go out to America to negotiate a most interesting treaty without having before it information from those industries which might possibly be affected.

Mr. Benn

Would it be too much to ask that the House of Commons should know something about these new taxes?

Sir Percy Harris

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that no vested interests are allowed to stand in the way of a real constructive trade agreement between this country and the United States of America?

Mr. Stanley

I agree with the hon. Member's point, but I do not see what it has to do with this question. I do not regard the desire of an industry to see that my delegation shall have every possible information as necessarily standing in the way.

10. Mr. Boothby

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in connection with the forthcoming negotiations for a trade agreement with the United States of America, the questions of currency stability and the level of world commodity prices will be taken into consideration?

Mr. Stanley

No, Sir.

Mr. Boothby

Does my right hon. Friend think that a mere agreement to reduce certain tariffs is going to be of any value at all unless we have some understanding with regard to these two other much more important questions of currency and commodities prices?

Mr. Stanley

I agree as to the importance of those two matters, but they are not necessarily appropriate matters for a trade agreement.

Mr. De la Bère

Will steps be taken to safeguard the interests of agriculture in this agreement?

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