§ 35. Miss Burtonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulties being experienced by British manufacturers in their endeavours to export machine tools to Iron Curtain countries, and that prior to their being able to accept an order a minimum procedure lasting six weeks is involved; and if he will take steps to shorten this period.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganMost machine tools do not require export licences. For 402 the rest, I am not aware of any unreasonable delays in dealing with applications for licences. There is no minimum procedure of six weeks, but cases which have to be referred to our partners in the Paris Group are bound to take a little time.
§ Miss BurtonI am not sure if I heard the Minister correctly. Did he say that most machine tools were not on the embargo list?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganI said that they did not require export licences.
§ Miss BurtonWhy, then, do the manufacturers in Coventry understand the position quite differently? Is the Minister aware that those manufacturers have written to me saying that there is a procedure which takes a minimum of six weeks in the Co-ordinating Committee? Are the manufacturers wrong or is the Minister wrong?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganI can assure the hon. Lady that the manufacturers are wrong. I think that she is generalising from a particular case affecting a firm in her constituency. I think that there has been a misunderstanding on her part.
§ Miss BurtonThe Minister is wrong there.
§ 36. Miss Burtonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the anxiety among British machine tool manufacturers at the diversion of embargoed machine tools orders from this country to Western Germany, and that machines required for the production of agricultural bearings are included; and how soon he expects to remove these from the embargo list.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganWe do from time to time hear of complaints, but so far I have seen no convincing evidence of any failure on the part of our partners in the Paris Group to honour the obligations which they, like us, have freely accepted. As regards the second part of the Question, it is too soon yet to say if or when particular types of machine will be removed from the embargo list.
§ Miss BurtonDealing with the last part of the hon. Gentleman's Answer first, is he aware that for some time his right hon. Friend has been telling us that 403 this embargo list is to be shortened? Secondly, if the manufacturers send him details of orders which have gone to Western Germany, will he be prepared to admit his mistake?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganIf the hon. Lady will give me those particulars I shall certainly look into them.