HC Deb 10 November 1955 vol 545 cc1983-4
14. Mr. Osborne

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied so far with the results of the Anglo-Polish Trade Agreement of November, 1954; how much trade has resulted from it; and to what extent the credit facilities provided have been used.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

No, Sir. A number of the Polish quotas remain unfulfilled. We have expressed our dissatisfaction to the Polish authorities and are pressing them to carry out their part of the Agreement. As regards the last part of the Question, exporters have availed themselves of the facilities provided by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to the extent of about one-fifth of our total exports to Poland.

Mr. Osborne

May I ask my right hon. Friend if I am to understand from his Answer that the fault is on the Polish side and not on the British exporters' side? Is there any hope of extending credit facilities to Poland similar to those afforded by Western Germany, France, Austria and other Western Powers in the past?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The fault is certainly on the Polish side, in so far as their quotas remain unfulfilled. In the Export Credits Guarantee Department, we are covering in the normal way, and as far as I know there is no discrimination here.