§ 24. . Sir D. Robertsonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that it is in the best interests of the British motor car industry that their cars should be exported to Norway under a barter arrangement in exchange for sprats; and if he will take steps to bring this type of international trading to an end.
§ Sir D. EcclesMultilateral trading is certainly preferable to barter deals, but private traders are free to make export and import arrangements which do not contravene our licensing system or the exchange control.
§ Sir D. RobertsonHow can it be in the interests of the motor car industry and of the nation for us to export high-grade engineering products and in exchange to accept low-grade sprats?
§ Sir D. EcclesI have no evidence on the grade of the sprats.
§ Mr. JayEven if we do not want open general licences for motor car imports, has not the Scottish fishing industry a genuine grievance here, and what does the President intend to do about it?
§ Sir D. EcclesI intend to keep canned sild on open general licence.
Mr. Gresham CookeIs my right hon. Friend aware that trade with Norway in engineering goods is very closely restricted by Norwegian quotas? Is he further aware that the home manufacturers thought that they were doing a good job for the United Kingdom by opening up some trade, even if only on a barter basis?
§ Sir D. RobertsonIs it right for the nation to use dollars for steel for manufacturing cars and then to exchange the cars for sprats?