§ 20. Mr. de Freitasasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a number of our allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation who have no official relations with the East German Government have semi-official trade or payments agreements with East German commercial agencies; and what steps he will take to encourage similar agreements to facilitate the exchange of goods between this country and East Germany.
§ The Minister of State, Board of Trade (Mr. Derek Walker-Smith)The agreements of which I am aware are unofficial; and the initiative for any similar agreement on our side rests with the representative trade organisations rather than with the Government.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs it not the job of the Board of Trade to encourage our engineering exports and not to allow our commercial rivals, in Western Germany in particular, to get a great advantage over us in the trade they are doing now with East Germany and countries to the East?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithIf prospects of trade are encouraging, I think the hon. Member may expect those concerned in this country to take the initiative.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs it not a fact that for the last few years the President of the Board of Trade has actually discouraged this trade? Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman now say that that policy has changed and that the policy of this country is to encourage this trade."
§ Mr. Walker-SmithNo, it is not a fact that the President of the Board of Trade has actively discouraged this trade.