HC Deb 21 January 1969 vol 776 cc230-1
17. Mr. Sheldon

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for a meeting with the United States Secretary of the Treasury.

Mr. Harold Lever

My right hon. Friend has no such plans as yet, but he is looking forward to early contact with the new United States Administration.

Mr. Sheldon

Whilst I understand that it is not possible to formulate very closely the kinds of discussion that can be undertaken, does not my hon. Friend consider that it will be necessary to take up the worldwide monetary problem at the earliest possible date? Can he give any indication of the sort of timing that might be possible in this connection?

Mr. Lever

I understand my hon. Friend's anxiety that the discussions should take place soon and be wide-ranging. I can assure him that my right hon. Friend will have such discussions as soon as it is convenient to do so, and that they will cover all the kind of topics that he has in mind and in which he is interested.

Sir G. Nabarro

Will the hon. Gentleman stress to the Chancellor that there can be no solution to problems of international illiquidity without a great increase in international trade, and that to seek that desirable end should be our first objective, coupled with a continuation of policies of Kennedy liberalisation of trade?

Mr. Lever

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that my right hon. Friend will certainly stress the priority of increasing international trade and continuing its healthful development. But I do not think that illiquidity problems are solved by that. Such increases raise liquidity problems, which must be dealt with in order to enable the healthy development that the hon. Gentleman wants to see.