HC Deb 25 February 1947 vol 433 c1886
66. Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in terms of sterling, the anticipated additional expenditure in kroner during 1947 as a result of the ratification of the Anglo-Danish trade negotiations.

Mr. Dalton

No, Sir. We do not yet know what quantities the Danes will, in fact, be able to deliver.

Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that authoritative statements made at Copenhagen, that we were going to pay more for agricultural imports from Denmark, and undertake to ship animal feedingstuffs to Denmark, under this agreement, will not be realised?

Mr. Dalton

We have been negotiating with the Danes with a view to getting some food out of them, and the amount of food they can deliver will depend upon the volume of Danish imports of feeding-stuffs. The two are connected, and are within the terms of the discussion which is now going on.

Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre

Would it not be better to keep our feedingstuffs here, and let home agriculture have a chance, for once?

Mr. Dalton

I daresay that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture would have an opinion about that, if the hon. and gallant Gentleman would put a Question on the Paper.