HC Deb 16 November 1954 vol 533 cc190-1
6. Mr. Sorensen

asked the President of the Board of Trade in what particular, and in respect of what commodities, there is a difference between the embargo on exports to Eastern Europe and to China.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

I do not think I can do better than refer the hon. Member to the lists themselves. The China list, which is much wider in scope, was published in the Board of Trade Journal on 23rd June, 1951, and the Soviet bloc list on 16th October last.

Mr. Sorensen

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that this difference between the embargoes on goods sent to China and to Russia is rather absurd? Could he not bring the embargoes into some sort of equity?

Mr. Thorneycroft

That raises much wider issues. This Question asks what the differences are.

Mr. Sorensen

Surely the right hon. Gentleman can answer my Question about what the differences are? What does he feel about it? Does he not realise that at the present moment some goods that can be sent to the Soviet Union cannot be sent to China, and vice versa? Does that not seem absurd?

Mr. Thorneycroft

It is not a question of what I feel about it. It is a quite different question, and it was answered by the Foreign Secretary on 25th October last.

Mr. H. Wilson

Since there are these differences in the lists, will the right hon. Gentleman explain what strategic purposes are served, in view of the fact that there is such a thing as the Trans-Siberian Railway by means of which goods can be shipped from Poland or Russia to China?

Mr. Thorneycroft

This Question has nothing to do with the Trans-Siberian Railway. It asks what the differences are in the lists, and I have given an answer stating where the information can be found.

Mr. S. Silverman

Whether the Trans-Siberian Railway is one of the relevant facts or not, will the right hon. Gentleman explain why a strategic list which was suitable for the conditions of 1951 remains unchanged in the totally different conditions of 1954, and whether the Government are considering catching up with the march of events at any time?

Mr. Thorneycroft

If the hon. Gentleman had listened to my answer, he would have known that I said that that was a Question which was addressed to the Foreign Secretary on 25th October last, and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given.

Mr. Wilson

Yes, but since the right hon. Gentleman seems to want his answer to be taken narrowly, and as he referred in his answer to my hon. Friend to a list published in 1951 as being the China list, may I ask if he is aware that announcements have been made by his Department and by other Ministerial spokesmen taking certain items off the list? Does that not mean that the 1951 list is already out of date?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I do not think so, but if there is any difficulty in the interpretation of these lists, I am quite willing to assist the right hon. Gentleman.

Mr. Sorensen

In view of the inadequate and unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter at the earliest possible opportunity.