HC Deb 30 January 1945 vol 407 c1281
49. Mr. Colegate

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any conditions are attached by His Majesty's Government to the supply of materials to the U.S.A. which prevents manufacturers in that country from exporting goods which contain a proportion of such materials.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Anderson)

I apologise to the House for not being in my place when this Question was called. The conditions attached to our provision of materials on Reciprocal Aid are that the materials in question should be imported by the United States Government or its agencies, should be necessary for the war effort, and should be reasonable in quantity. Requisitions are scrutinised from these points of view. Moreover, the main commodities which we provide, of which crude rubber is much the most important, are also subject to allocation by the Combined Raw Materials Board. The United States Authorities have made it clear that they accept the view that obligations resulting from the receipt of Mutual Aid should be of a reciprocal character. But, in the circumstances explained above, occasion has not arisen for us to make specific stipulations about the export from the United States of America of goods containing materials received as Mutual Aid from the United Kingdom.

Mr. Colegate

Would the Chancellor of the Exchequer tell us whether it is not a fact that the United States is exporting motor-cars, each car being furnished with five tyres, each of which contains not less than 10 per cent. of rubber supplied by the United Kingdom?

Sir J. Anderson

Obviously I could not give a specific answer to a detailed question of that kind without notice, but I think it will be clear to the House from the answer that I have given to the original Question that His Majesty's Government do not consider that they have any ground of complaint in this matter.