§ 14. Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Trade what results to date have followed the trade agreement with the Government of the USSR announced during the Prime Minister's last visit to Moscow.
§ Mr. ShoreOur exports to the USSR are rising and there are good prospects for an improvement in Anglo-Soviet trade.
§ Miss FookesDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that that is an extraordinarily vague answer which seems to belie the great noises of triumph which the Prime Minister made when he returned with this agreement? May we have a few more facts?
§ Mr. ShoreIf the hon. Lady had come in earlier, she would have heard me answer a similar Question in which I gave figures indicating that there had been a 100 per cent. increase in the first six months of this year compared with the first six months of last year. We are 1283 starting from a very low base of trade with the Soviet Union. Therefore, we have a considerable way to go before we can begin to be satisfied about the volume of trade.
§ Miss FookesOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Is it correct for the right hon. Gentleman to upbraid me, because I gather that the two Questions were not linked?
§ Mr. ShoreThe hon. Lady, whose sensitivity I well understand, must not feel that she has been upbraided, I was trying to help her by giving a little bit of additional information which it was her bad luck and misfortune not to hear earlier.