§ 28. Mr. Russellasked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now completed the examination of individual Imperial Preferences in relation to the working of the Ottawa Agreement with Australia; and if he has now reviewed the value of existing preferences in relation to today's prices.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftThe question of preferences was discussed at the Commonwealth Conference in October. Individual preferences will be examined as and when we and other countries concerned find this desirable.
§ Mr. RussellIs not my right hon. Friend aware that the Chancellor of the Exchequer made a statement last October saying that he was going to undertake an examination? Is this not being carried out?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe speech which my hon. Friend has in mind referred to the conference which was going on at that time. The question of these preferences was discussed at that conference, and has been a general guide in discussions at Geneva and elsewhere which have gone on since.