HC Deb 19 May 1958 vol 588 cc868-9
6. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on how many occasions in the last six months the Paris Consultative Group on trade with China and the Soviet bloc has met; and when he expects to be able to report on the results of these discussions.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

The Co-ordinating Committee of the Consultative Group met 98 times between 15th November and 16th May. I cannot yet say when it will be possible to make a statement on the result of the present review.

Mr. Swingler

Is it the fact, on the admission of the Under-Secretary, that the Committee has met 98 times and has achieved no results whatsoever? Is that really the situation? In the light of that situation, are the Government going to do anything at all to try to develop trade?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

If I recollect correctly, the hon. Member was asking very much the same sort of question this time last year about the China differential, and at the end of the consultations I think the result was one of which he and the rest of the House approved.