HC Deb 02 March 1953 vol 512 cc26-7
27. Mr. P. Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to make a further statement with regard to the Joint Anglo-Argentina Committee of Inquiry into the compensation for the cases of the Anglo-Argentina Tramways and the Primitiva Gas Company; and whether this Committee of Inquiry has yet been set up under the provision of the protocol recently signed with the Argentine.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

I regret that I have as yet nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Mr. Teeling) on 23rd February.

Mr. Roberts

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it was a condition of the protocol which was signed at the end of last year that this Committee of Inquiry should be set up by 31st January, and therefore this is a breach of that protocol? As the Argentine Government are in breach of their protocol, will not my right hon. Friend consider tightening up certain other trade arrangements which are harmful to British trade to see whether we cannot get better conditions out of the Argentine Government?

Mr. Lloyd

Technically, this undertaking was unilaterally given by the Argentine Government, and it was not part of the trade protocol. I can assure my hon. Friend that we are pressing the Argentine Government very strongly to live up to this undertaking.

Mr. Roberts

Does he think that the Argentine Government are sincerely trying to live up to it?