§ 47. Sir Patrick Hannonasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the duties which are being discharged by the Department of Overseas Trade, with special regard to post-war industrial and commercial policy; if schemes of post-war expansion of export trade in consultation with the United Nations are being completed; and if an announcement of policy on the part of His Majesty's Government on plans for the maintenance and expansion of the export trade of this country will be forthcoming at an early date.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Churchill)I would refer my hon. Friend to the full statement on this subject which my right hon. Friend the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department made in the course of the Debate on Overseas Trade on 27th July last, and also in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend, the Member for West Birmingham (Mr. Higgs) on 16th December last. To these I have at the moment nothing to add.
§ Sir P. HannonDoes the Prime Minister realise the anxiety in the minds of manufacturers throughout the country on the delay in the announcement of a definite policy on export trade by the Government, and will he impart stimulus to the Ministers responsible?
§ The Prime MinisterI am not at all unaware of the vital importance which our export trade will assume after the war.