§ 37. Mr. Boothasked the President of the Board of Trade how many licences have been granted for exports to Southern Rhodesia since the commencement of sanctions.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth DunwoodyThe information is not readily available and its value would not justify the amount of work which its extraction would entail. Licences have been, and are being, issued for supplies for medical and educational purposes for books and news material and for the essential needs of those Central African common services which are vital to the economic well-being of Zambia.
§ Mr. BoothIs my hon. Friend aware that I have evidence which I have sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that trade in engineering goods is taking place? To exert the maximum economic pressure on the régime, will my hon. Friend give an undertaking that there will be no further exports to Rhodesia by licence granted by the Board of Trade, and will she deal with the problems arising from this for other countries by direct means?
§ Mrs. DunwoodyWe will certainly look at any evidence which the hon. Gentleman has. As he realises, export 472 licences have to be granted, and normally these are a very efficient check. However, we will look at the matter again.
§ Sir Knox CunninghamWill the hon. Lady be very careful in taking such action so that it does not lead to hardship to Africans in Rhodesia and Zambia?
§ Mrs. DunwoodyI assure the hon. and learned Gentleman that I am a very prudent lady and I shall do nothing to contravene the United Nations resolution.