§ 19. Mr. John Tilneyasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that as a result of the present retrictions affecting the import of essential pharmaceutical products from the United Kingdom into Hong Kong a considerable volume of our export trade in these commodities is lost to Canada and countries from the Continent of Europe to whose exports the restrictions do not apply; and whether, in view of the consequent impairment on our permanent trading position in the Colony, he will take steps to secure that these restrictions are either made to apply equally to the same classes of goods irrespective of the country of origin, or else are suspended until such time as the object in imposing them can be achieved through effective international collaboration.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftI should like to make it clear that the limitation of United Kingdom pharmaceutical exports, to which my hon. Friend refers, applies only to the very limited range of pharmaceutical products which we regard as being of strategic importance. I am aware that the purpose of our policy is to some extent being frustrated by supplies from other producing countries. We are seeking a greater measure of international collaboration which would obviate this, but I cannot agree to relax our own restrictions meanwhile.