§ 27. Mr. Hurdasked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with Australian Ministers in reviewing trade developments of mutual interest, including the operation and cost of the 15-year agreement under which the Commonwealth ships to the United Kingdom a major part of her beef exports and receives a guaranteed price.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftOur discussions with Australian Ministers, including the separate talks about the operation of the meat agreement, have not yet finished and I am not able to make any statement about them at present.
§ Mr. HurdAs the Commonwealth of Australia has proved herself to be one of our best friends in the world, will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that he will do his best to reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement with our Australian friends?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI can certainly give my right hon. Friend that assurance.
Mr. T. WilliamsIs it the intention of the Government to continue with the 15-year agreement which has been referred to?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI would rather not make any comment on these arrangements at present.
§ Mr. BottomleyCan we have any idea when these talks between the Australian Ministers and the President are likely to be ended? For three years we on this side have raised the question of Australian trade, pointing out that Ministers over there are extremely discontented. Can the right hon. Gentleman say that it is not Her Majesty's Government who are holding up the matter?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftNobody is holding up the matter. When one is dealing with trade matters over a wide area between two very good friends, it is right that they should be given adequate and, if necessary, prolonged consideration in order to arrive at the best arrangements.