§ 64. Mr. Footasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Dominion Governments and Governments of other sterling areas were consulted before His Majesty's Government gave their approval to the U.S. loan and was an approach by the whole of the sterling group to the U.S. Government considered.
§ Mr. DaltonThe Dominion Governments were kept informed of the progress of negotiations, both through their representatives in Washington and through personal contacts in London. No such approach as my hon. Friend has in mind was ever suggested by any Government of the British Commonwealth or by any other member of the sterling group.
§ 65 and 66. Mr. Stokesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether an offer of a credit for the supply of tin, rubber and other commodities, in return for a loan, was made to the U.S. Government before recommending acceptance of the loan recently approved;
(2) whether the U.S. Government were asked for a direct commercial loan before His Majesty's Government agreed to the loan now agreed by this House.
§ Mr. DaltonI have nothing to add to what was said in last week's Debate.
§ Mr. StokesIs my right hon. Friend aware that neither of these questions was answered in the Debate, and that at the end of the Debate, when they came to be put, my right hon. Friend himself was not here to answer them, and that is why I put these Questions on the Order Paper? If I put them down again, will my right hon. Friend answer them in January?
§ Mr. DaltonNo, Sir
§ Mr. StokesWhy not?
§ Mr. BoothbyCan the right hon. Gentleman furnish us with some reasons for refusing this information?
§ Mr. DaltonI think that if we start raking over the embers of old Debates a week after they have taken place, the Order Paper will be still more cluttered up with Questions than it is now.
§ Mr. StokesHow came it that it was confidently expected at one time that a grant-in-aid would be made if, in fact, neither of these things could be considered?
§ Mr. FootCould the right hon. Gentleman supply us with the parts of his speech, or of the speeches of his right hon. Friends, in which these questions were answered, so that we can discover whether in fact they were answered or not?
§ Mr. DaltonI repeat that we had a considerable Debate last week, and I think it would be wasting the time of the House to recapitulate it now.
§ Mr. StokesIn view of the fact that these questions have not yet been answered, I wish to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.