HC Deb 09 February 1965 vol 706 c175
3. Mr. Peter Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will consult Commonwealth countries with a view to producing a new survey of the raw material resources of the Commonwealth.

Mr. Cledwyn Hughes

No, Sir. The Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference of September, 1958, agreed that in view of the value of the Raw Materials Survey it should be kept up-to-date by extending the former range of the Commonwealth Economic Committee's periodic Commodity Series to cover all the materials in question.

Mr. Walker

Would the Minister of State consider asking the new Commonwealth Secretariat to look into this problem, particularly in relation to future worldwide raw material demands, because this will have a considerable effect on the position of the sterling area?

Mr. Hughes

I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's point, but it is rather early days to consider what the Commonwealth Secretariat will do.