§ 21. Mr. Swinglerasked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in the negotiations for a British-Czechoslovak trade agreement.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Peter Thorneycroft)I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the right hon. Member for Rochester and Chatham (Mr. Bottomley) on Tuesday.
§ Mr. SwinglerI thank the Minister for that reply and the fact that an agreement has been concluded after these protracted negotiations, but would he not agree that it is for a very limited amount of trade indeed, and that the potentiality of exchange between this country and Czechoslovakia must be very much greater? Would he, therefore, make efforts towards trying to expand this during the coming months?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThat is more in the nature of a comment on the agreement, but it is my interest to expand trade in all directions.
§ Mr. BottomleyI welcome the agreement, but can the Minister say why a settlement was reached by which we press for the repayment of private debts and postpone the repayment of debts due to Her Majesty's Government?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThat question should be addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.