HC Deb 21 February 1940 vol 357 cc1340-1
46. Sir Annesley Somerville

asked the Prime Minister whether his economic advisers are now preparing schemes for rehabilitating post-war export trades including crude barter, aski-sterling finance-plus-barter and general subsidy of export, so that employment may be ready for demobilised men without that delay which has been caused in the past by hurry and last-moment search for orthodox employment schemes?

The Prime Minister

My hon. Friend may be assured that the Government is studying and will endeavour to apply such measures as are best calculated to develop at the end of the war the trades and employments of peace with the greatest rapidity. I do net think it is possible now to forecast what steps will best serve that end, but, as I indicated in a public speech on 31st January, I should hope that the general tendency will be towards establishing international trade on a freer and wider basis than that envisaged in my hon. Friend's Question.