HC Deb 14 May 1956 vol 552 cc1635-7
18. Sir L. Plummer

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that British firms are liable to be boycotted by Arab countries if they own an assembly plant in Israel; and what steps he proposes to take to defeat such boycotts.

Mr. Dodds-Parker

Yes, Sir. This is another manifestation of the Arab League boycott, which, as the House is aware, Her Majesty's Government neither accept nor condone. Their views on all aspects of this boycott have frequently been made known to the Arab Governments concerned.

Sir L. Plummer

Will the Minister have consultations with the President of the Board of Trade to discover whether this boycott by the Arab countries is not contrary to the G.A.T.T.? Secondly, would he not make it clear to British manufacturers who may be intimidated by this behaviour that it is reported that Mr. Henry Kaiser of the U.S.A. and the Renault Company of France are reported to be setting up agencies even in the face of this threatened boycott?

Mr. Dodds-Parker

I will certainly look at the point made in the first part of the supplementary question. I have no responsibility for the matter raised in the second part.

Mr. Janner

Would the hon. Gentleman also enter into consultation with the American Government to find out how far this type of blackmail and menace is being practised in their country and to see whether some action may not be taken by both himself and the American Government in a vicious matter of this nature?

Mr. Dodds-Parker

We are, of course, in constant consultation with other Governments concerned, but the fact is that we cannot force Arab countries to trade with individual firms against their will.

Mr. Nicholson

Is it not a fact that this boycott has its origin in the fact that the Arab countries consider themselves still at war with Israel? Is not the moral to be drawn that the Security Council, urged on by Her Majesty's Government, should take urgent steps to secure an end to the state of war, which at the moment is only interrupted by an armistice?

Mr. Dodds-Parker

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend, that the important thing is to get a settlement of the deplorable conflict between the Arabs and Israel.

Mr. S. Silverman

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this is not a matter with which Israel is concerned at all—that the origin of it being the state of war between the Arab States and Israel has nothing to do with it? This is discrimination against the Jewish citizens of other countries, and will the Government not do anything about it?

Mr. Dodds-Parker

If the hon. Gentleman looks into it he will find that that is the reason given by the Arab League for the boycott.