HC Deb 22 July 1946 vol 425 cc1657-8
24. Professor Savory

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now abolish the Defence Regulations for bidding trading with the enemy, so far as Austria is concerned, in view of the fact that Great Britain is now the only State which still maintains the wartime regulations forbidding trade with Austria.

Sir S. Cripps

As indicated in the announcement in the Board of Trade Journal of 20th July, I hope that within a short time a Payments Agreement with Austria will be concluded and, when this has been signed, the United Kingdom Trading with the Enemy restrictions on trade with Austria will be relaxed in such a way as to permit transactions with firms in Austria for the purchase and sale of goods.

Professor Savory

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman refer to the last part of my Question, in which I state that this is the only country that still maintains these restrictions on trade with Austria?

Sir S. Cripps

That may be, and until we have got this Payments Agreement we cannot release them.