§ 22. Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present level of the trade and similar representation at the Russian Embassy in London; and how this compares with similar representation in February 1970.
§ Mr. AmeryThere are 44 permanent officials at the Soviet trade delegation, which is separate from the embassy, and 93 in other organisations, mostly of a commercial kind.
The comparable figures in February 1970 were 66 and 102 respectively.
§ Mr. McCrindleHas my right hon. Friend conveyed to the Soviet Union our pleasure at the improved relations both in diplomatic matters and in a trade sense? Has he further conveyed our feeling that those relations would be put in jeopardy if there were to be a repetition of the over-staffing of the Russian Embassy, which might lead to a repetition of the events of November 1971?
§ Mr. AmeryMy hon. Friend will accept that the facts speak for themselves. 1491 Our exports to the Soviet Union have risen from £89 million to £90 million worth and our imports from £205 million to £227 million worth. So clearly our trade has not be adversely affected; it has somewhat improved.