HC Deb 12 July 1956 vol 556 c566
11. Mr. Bottomley

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement upon his talks with the Australian Minister of Trade.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

No, Sir. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State said on 10th July in reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Park (Mr. Mulley) these discussions are still proceeding and I am not able to make any statement about them at present.

Mr. Bottomley

While I recognise that the discussions are continuing, may I ask the President whether he can say that more notice will be taken than in the past of the representations made by the Australians and brought to his attention by me in the House on several occasions during the last two years?

Mr. Thorneycroft

No, Sir: I am not going to be drawn into any comment whatever about the conduct of the negotiations, not even by reference to past representations by the right hon. Gentleman which I cannot at present recollect.

Mr. Bottomley

I should be ruled out of order if I tried to list all the things which I have drawn to the right hon. Gentleman's attention, but if he says "No, Sir" the talks are doomed to failure. I hope that he will give serious consideration to the questions which have been posed time and time again by Australian Ministers.

Mr. Speaker

That is scarcely a question.