HC Deb 12 December 1949 vol 470 cc2357-8
46. Mr. Walter Fletcher

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why, in view of his negotiations with the United States of America for the reduction of their synthetic rubber production, he agreed to the starting up of synthetic rubber plants in Germany; and at what annual rate of production from 1950 onwards.

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Mayhew)

The manufacture in Germany of synthetic rubber is forbidden under Article V of the Prohibited and Limited Industries Agreement of April, 1949; this prohibition was not modified by the recent Agreement with the German Federal Chancellor.

Mr. Fletcher

Are we to take it from the fact that this dismantling has been stopped in these factories, that there will be any change of policy in regard to the manufacture of synthetic rubber?

Mr. Mayhew

Synthetic rubber will not be manufactured, even though the factories have not been dismantled.