§ 48. Mr. Hollisasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his negotiations with the United States of America regarding the continuance of Marshall Aid.
§ The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. John Edwards)I have been asked to reply. It would not be appropriate to make any announcement before the talks are concluded.
§ Mr. HollisWhile I appreciate that there is something in what the hon. Gentleman said, may I ask if he is not saying it rather late? I appreciate that there are many matters we do not want to discuss today, but the Home Secretary has made a statement, and is it not greatly in the public interest that the public should be told exactly what the Home Secretary meant?
§ Mr. EdwardsI am sure that the statement made by the Home Secretary is not at all inconsistent with the carefully prepared and much fuller statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 31st October, to which I can usefully add nothing at the moment.
§ Mr. Martin LindsayMight I point out that when I put down a similar Question to the Prime Minister, it was transferred to the Chancellor of the Exchequer? Perhaps the Prime Minister would be good enough to look into the matter.
§ Mr. EdwardsThe reason why I was asked to reply is that this matter is in the field of responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.