§ 57. Mr. Rankinasked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to complete the determination of export quotas for goods on the quantitative control list for China; and whether the quotas now being established will apply 1305 only to exports from this country or will be part of larger quotas shared with other members of the Paris Consultative Group.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Sir David Eccles)Recommendations as to these quotas are due to be made by the Paris Consultative Group to member Governments in the near future. Sonic of the agreed quotas will probably operate globally; the rest will be allocated as between the countries concerned, but there will be some room for adjustment.
§ Mr. RankinMay I take it from the Minister's answer that the allocation is to come from Cocom in Paris? Does that mean that, having broken with Cocom on a matter of principle, we are now to become tied up with that organisation on matters of detail and, perhaps, suffer the frustrations of the last five years?
§ Sir D. EcclesNo, Sir. It is very important that we should work with Cocom within our new arrangements and we hope to get these quotas by the end of the month. I think they will be subject to adjustment and I hope that our industry will know its position by the end of this month.