HC Deb 09 July 1957 vol 573 cc191-2
38. Mr. R. Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decisions have been reached by the Governments of the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone as a result of their discussions with Columbia-Southern Chemicals Company and British Titan Products Limited on the development of Sierra Leone's rutile deposits.

Mr. Profumo

No decisions have yet been reached.

Mr. Edwards

During these negotiations, will the Minister take into consideration the fact that, despite the name "British Titan Products Limited", this is really an international firm and part of an international restrictive cartel? Will he give some assurances that what happened in pre-war days will not happen in Sierra Leone, and that, if the company receives permission to develop, it will really develop and not restrict development in order to prevent some other company exploiting these important deposits?

Mr. Profumo

As the hon. Member knows, negotiations broke down because the Government did not feel that they could grant various things which the company wanted. I think that we had better wait until negotiations open again before we go into the matter any further.