HC Deb 06 December 1960 vol 631 cc1057-8
35. Mr. G. M. Thomson

asked the President of the Board of Trade what requests he has received from the Institute of Directors regarding the setting up in Moscow of an office to assist British businessmen seeking trade with Russia; and what steps he will take to facilitate such a development.

Mr. Erroll

My right hon. Friend has not received any such request. He will, however, neglect no opportunity of reminding the Soviet authorities of Her Majesty's Government's view that the establishment by industry of an office or offices of this kind could make a substantial contribution to the development of trade between the two countries. The Commercial Counsellor is of course giving all the help he can to visiting business men.

Mr. Thomson

Is the Minister aware that even the Institute of Directors occasionally has a good idea and that this seems to be a particularly useful one which resulted from a visit which it paid to the Soviet Union recently? Will the right hon. Gentleman do everything he can to encourage the setting up of such a service?

Mr. Erroll

Yes, it is a good idea. We thought of it before the Institute of Directors and raised it in Moscow during the negotiation of the Anglo-Russian Trade Agreement in the summer of 1959.

Mr. H. Wilson

While we congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his initiative, may I ask whether he is aware that we put this to Mr. Mikoyan in 1947?