§ 51. Mr. D. Marshallasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the fact that the proposal to seek the scaling down of sterling balances will lead to withdrawals of these balances by unrequited exports, if he will now proceed to block them effectively pending agreements being reached.
§ 46 Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1), whether, in view of the statements made by responsible members of the Indian Government, he will now give an assurance that the rights to present counterclaims against sterling balances held by India have now been exercised or, if not, that British representatives will be instructed to present and press such claims when negotiations for settlement are resumed;
(2) whether he will now give an assurance that United Kingdom assets in Brazil will not be sold against payment in blocked sterling;
(3) what steps have been taken by His Majesty's Government to ensure that, 1286 pending the presentation of counterclaims, countries holding sterling balances do not use them for the acquisition of unrequited exports.
§ Mr. DaltonIn forthcoming discussions all relevant considerations, including those to which I recently drew attention, will be borne in mind, but I do not think it would be useful for me to bind myself, in advance of these discussions, by making a series of, declarations, such as are suggested in these Questions.