§ Q10. Mr. Bostonasked the Prime Minister what plans he has for further Ministerial visits to Eastern European countries in the near future.
§ The Prime MinisterDuring 1969 my right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister of Technology have visited the Soviet Union. In addition, my noble friend the Minister of State at the Board of Trade and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Board of Trade have visited Poland and Hungary respectively. Further Ministerial visits are under consideration.
§ Mr. BostonWhile accepting that that is welcome news, and that the visits of the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister of Technology confirmed that there is considerable scope for developing trade with Eastern European countries, as well as bringing back some encouraging news about the prospects for improving the balance of trade as between Britain and the Soviet Union in particular, would my right hon. Friend agree that further visits of this kind could help to develop the scope for further trade with these countries?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. Exports to the Soviet Union have risen far beyond most people's expectations in the last three or four years. My right hon. Friend's visit gave real meaning to the agreement which Mr. Kosygin and I signed about linking Anglo-Soviet trade with the five-year plan now in the course of preparation in the Soviet Union. My hon. Friend will be aware that there are not only visits from this country to Eastern Europe, and he will also attach importance to the recent and forthcoming visits by East European leaders to this country.