§ 23. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the President of the Board of Trade what efforts he made to reduce the dollar cost to this country of the recently-concluded Anglo-American Film Agreement.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftHer Majesty's Government took their first available opportunity in September, 1952, to review the terms of the Anglo-American Agreement negotiated by the previous Government. The terms agreed on that occasion, and continued in the latest Agreement, set a lower limit on the amount which may be converted into dollars.
In this connection, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on 27th October, when I explained the scope of the Agreement.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonWhile commiserating with the President on the failure of his efforts to secure a reduction in the dollar cost to this country under the film agreement, may I ask him whether he will take every opportunity of saving dollars in this connection, because we can well do without some of the Hollywood rubbish which is now coming in and which is costing us millions of dollars?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftWe have already reduced the bill by 5 million dollars a year compared with what was paid under the previous Government.