§ 18. Mr. Bottomleyasked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the total trade for the United Kingdom for 1954 was done with Commonwealth countries.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftAbout half.
§ Mr. BottomleyIn view of the fact that this is a satisfactory and developing trade, would not the President of the Board of Trade agree that it owes its success to bulk purchase and long-term trade agreements? Will he give an assurance that at the coming Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference the Government will continue that policy?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI should have said that it was part and parcel of the outstanding success of the Government's commercial and financial policy, which has enabled us to break all records in volume and value for export trade last year.