§ Mr. Eden (by Private Notice)asked the Prime Minister what commodities and articles are prohibited, except under licence, from export from British territories to China, and secondly what quantities of commodities and articles have been exported under licence to China in the last three months.
§ The Prime MinisterSo far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the export to China is prohibited, except under licence, of the goods set out in the schedules to the Export of Goods (Control) (Consolidation) Order, 1950, as subsequently amended. It is not generally possible to distinguish in the trade returns between exports which have been licensed and those which do not require a licence. Licences have, however, been issued in the last three months for the export to China of about £6,800 of dyestuffs and about £1,250 of other commodities. Licensing arrangements vary considerably from one British Colonial Territory to another. As far as strategic materials are concerned, the Far Eastern Colonies follow the pattern of United Kingdom controls.
§ Mr. EdenCan the Prime Minister give an assurance that in the last three months no strategic materials—no materials with which war can be made—have been exported to China?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I understand, there has been a prohibition of all major strategic materials. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, there are points where one cannot say when one might have vague, possible, strategic materials, but so far as we can possibly ensure, no strategic materials have been sent.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonHow many locomotives, ships and aircraft were contained in the £71,000 to which reference was made yesterday by the hon. Member for Northfield (Mr. Blackburn)?
§ The Prime MinisterI understand none. I think a certain misapprehension arose because of the very broad categories used for our exports not only to 1428 China but to other countries and a broad thing such as "vehicles" and so forth might include bicycles, perambulators and the rest but there were, as a matter of fact, no warships, aircraft or anything of the sort.
§ Major Guy LloydDoes the Prime Minister's statement mean that what he says applies also to exports from Hong Kong to China?
§ The Prime MinisterYes. I have pointed out we have stopped export of any strategic goods from here and from Hong Kong.
Mr. Frederick Elwyn JonesWhat is the nature of the exports from China to Hong Kong and other British territories, if any?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is a question that might be put to the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Brigadier HeadCould the Prime Minister say whether he regards rubber as a strategic raw material?
§ The Prime MinisterIt might or might not be. We have in fact an absolute prohibition at the present time on rubber.
§ Mr. PatonCan the Prime Minister say if there is now any export of tungsten, a very highly valuable strategic material, from China to us?
§ The Prime MinisterI could not answer that question without notice.
§ Mr. BlackburnIs the Prime Minister aware—and I say this with great respect and I shall put down a Motion of Censure on His Majesty's Government this afternoon to prove my words—that the President of the Board of Trade has stated in a written answer given to me on Monday that 3,430 tons of iron and steel and manufactures thereof, in the way of exports to China, went in the months of January to March, 1951, and that the Secretary of State for the Colonies has said 120,000 tons of rubber went to China between July, 1950, and March, 1951? Is he aware that it is quite useless for him to blame me for the mistakes of the President of the Board of Trade in the written answer which he gave? Is it not high time this matter was clarified because it is causing immense trouble between America and ourselves?
§ The Prime MinisterI did not blame the hon. Member. I only pointed out that he laboured under a certain misapprehension because of the width of the categories on which the Board of Trade terms are based. Iron and steel manufactures include products from normally finished steel to things like wire mattresses, nails, tacks, rivets, manhole covers and a whole range of very minor matters, and I think there was a distinct misapprehension owing to the categories in the reply given.
§ Mr. James HudsonIs the Prime Minister aware of the wide publicity given in the Opposition Press to the statement made by the hon. Member for North-field (Mr. Blackburn), that large numbers of ships and aircraft were sent to China by us? Would he be able to deny categorically that statement?
§ The Prime MinisterNone whatever.
§ Mr. Peter ThorneycroftIs the Prime Minister aware that on 29th January the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs assured the House that no embargo whatsoever had been placed upon the export of rubber to China? At what date subsequently to that was this very important step taken, and can the right hon. Gentleman assure us that no substantial quantities of rubber have been exported?
§ Mr. WoodburnFurther to that point——
§ Mr. SpeakerWe must hear what the right hon. Gentleman has to say.
§ Mr. WoodburnFurther to the point raised by the hon. Member for Monmouth (Mr. P. Thorneycroft), could the Prime Minister say whether at any time either this country or the United States has declared a complete economic boycott of China?
§ The Prime MinisterThe matter of economic sanctions is still under consideration by the United Nations. Natural rubber was not included in the prohibited and restricted lists originally owing to the great difficulty of control by export licensing, but in the first months of this year it was restricted by administrative action, and since then there have been stricter limitations. That was done in 1430 agreement with the United States of America and finally, in April, there was complete prohibition.
§ Mr. A. R. W. LowWith regard to the £71,000 worth of vehicles and other things, will the Prime Minister say whether or not load-carrying vehicles were exported from this country to China and, if so, why they were allowed to go when the British Air Forces and the United States Air Forces are busy every day trying to destroy them in Korea?
§ The Prime MinisterI have not exact information as to what particular categories came under these vehicles. They include locomotives and ships and a very wide range of things and, as I say, bicycles. I do not know the amount for which the hon. Member asks.
§ Mr. BurkeDoes the Prime Minister expect the same publicity for his statement in the Press as was given to the Opposition case?
§ Mr. Joynson-HicksIn order to clear up the misunderstanding to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, will he arrange to submit to the House detailed information specifying in particular exactly what has been sent to China?
§ The Prime MinisterI will certainly do it if it is possible. It means very great examination of all the Customs returns and, remember, it means checking up on licences which were given months ago and which have not been brought forward. There is no intention whatever of excluding from the House any knowledge it ought to have, but I think people ought not to suggest by any manner of means, that what has gone from here has been used against our men, because everybody knows the sources of the Chinese army's supplies.
§ Mr. EdenCould I ask the Prime Minister to bear in mind that questions were put to the Minister of Defence yesterday and that I merely asked him to give the information today? The right hon. Gentleman had not got that information. Had he been able to give us an answer, this would not have arisen at all.
§ The Prime MinisterThat is rather a different question. I have endeavoured to give the right hon. Gentleman the fullest answer today.
§ Mr. BlackburnIs the Prime Minister aware—and this occurred while he was away; and I am not in any way trying to make a personal attack—that last week when I asked the Minister of State in this House about this matter he first of all gave a vague answer and then said that he could not give a guarantee about the matter but that no significant quantities of strategic materials had gone? I asked him, as a supplementary—"Surely no commodities whatever should go?"; and he was not able to give the undertaking I sought.
§ Mr. SpeakerI think we had better get on.
§ The Prime MinisterMay I make a correction to a statement I made just now? I think I may have overstated the matter. With regard to the exports of rubber, they have been subject to export licensing since 9th April to prevent undue and enlarged quantities being sent to any particular destination. But there has not been, and cannot be I think, an absolute prohibition to see that no rubber whatever gets to China.
§ Mr. EdenThe Prime Minister has now given rather a different picture. Is it not the purpose of the whole House to ensure that no strategic raw materials reach China? That being our purpose, I should have thought, therefore, that supplies of rubber for delivery to China ought to have been held up. Is there no method by which that can be done?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is a question of degree—how much is strategic. As I understand it, it is a matter which has been done in agreement with the Americans. It is really a question of quantities. Obviously large quantities would amount to strategic supplies, but a very small quantity of rubber for particular purposes would not. I understand that is how it is dealt with under the export licensing.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftArising out of that point, is it not a fact that in the first three months of this year more than half as much rubber was exported to China as the total amount last year, and is not that a significant increase?
§ The Prime MinisterI am not aware of that. I could not answer that without notice.
§ Mr. EdenCould the right hon. Gentleman give us the figures—if not now, then on Monday or at some convenient time soon—as to what exports of rubber are going to China? When we know that, the House will be in a position to take a view of the matter one way or another.
§ The Prime MinisterThat is a question which might be put to the President of the Board of Trade. I will try to give the detailed figures.
§ Mr. ChurchillI understand the Prime Minister to say that at any rate from now on, the policy in regard to the export of strategic materials will be in full accord, not only on rubber but in other matters, with that of the United States?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. That is what I am saying. This was done in accord with the United States.