§ 5. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will specify the restrictions now in force on the export of machinery, particularly agricultural machinery, from Great Britain to India, Egypt and other Mediterranean countries.
§ The Minister of State, Board of Trade (Mr. J. K. Vaughan-Morgan)There are no restrictions on exports of agricultural machinery. If the hon. and learned Member will let me know what other types of machinery interest him, I will tell him what export restrictions are in force.
§ Mr. HughesSince when have these restrictions been removed? Is the Minister not aware of the correspondence which I had with him on behalf of Messrs. Garvie and Sons, agricultural implement makers in Aberdeen, who are frustrated in fulfilling contracts with Egypt, thus depriving this country of much-needed foreign currency?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThe last agricultural machines to be freed from licence were tractors for China in June, 1957. I am indeed aware that I have had correspondence with the hon. and learned Member, but I do not think that he has quite understood the purport of it all.
§ Mr. HughesWere not Messrs. Garvie and Sons prevented from exporting agricultural machinery to Egypt?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganI think that the hon. and learned Member is confusing the issue with that of export credit guarantees.