§ 29. Mr. Sorensenasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will clarify the operation of exceptions procedure in respect of the licensing of exports to China in so far as it is not normally applicable to goods on the Soviet bloc lists or to goods on those lists before revision in 1954; and if a list of goods now affected by exceptions procedure has been published.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithGoods which were on the Soviet bloc lists before October 1954, or are on those lists now, can only be licensed in the most exceptional circumstances, or where only minimum quantities are involved. For items which were never on the Soviet bloc lists exceptional licences are granted more freely. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No, Sir."
Mr. SoensenIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that there is a good deal of confusion about this matter? Would it not be expedient to circularise the information in order to make it clear that the obscure discrimination can be clarified by him?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithNo, Sir. As each case must be judged on its individual merits, there would not be much point in publishing a list of those items to which the exceptions procedure has been applied.