§ 50. Mr. Swinglerasked the President of the Board of Trade on how many, and which types of, commodities the embargo on export from the United Kingdom to China has been lifted since the Korean armistice.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Peter Thorneycroft)Since last July, when the Korean armistice was signed, the United Kingdom has lifted the embargo on exports to China in respect of two items, small motor cars and sodium peroxide, and minor limitations have been made in the scope of some definitions in the embargo list. The quantitative control over the export of antibiotics, sulphonamides, and anti-malarial drugs has also been removed.
§ Mr. SwinglerIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is very poor progress? Now that Mr. Stassen has said that East-West trade may be a good thing—although he still has a blind spot about China—will the right hon. Gentleman feel himself free to make more rapid progress in the liberalisation of trade with China, so that we may send the Chinese a few bicycles and tractors?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftWe shall continue to move in consultation with our friends.