§ 25. Mr. Swinglerasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the improvement in international relations, he will take steps to reopen trade negotiations with Czechoslovakia with a view to the conclusion of a trade agreement.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftI have nothing to add to my answer to the hon. Member on 21st July.
§ Mr. SwinglerIn view of the welcome improvement in the international atmosphere as a result of the Geneva Conference, would not this be a suitable situation in which the President of the Board of Trade could initiate or reopen trade negotiations which have broken down in the last few months with a number of countries in Eastern Europe, particularly Czechoslovakia, and see whether now, as a result of the improved position, we can overcome these disputes about debts?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe hon. Member is quite right in saying that the suspension is due to debt talks and not to trade talks. Debt talks, of course, are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.