§ 6. Mr. Barronasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the contribution made by trade with Libya to the United Kingdom's balance of payments during 1983 and in 1984 to date; and if he will list the British companies involved.
§ Mr. ChannonUnited Kingdom trade with Libya contributed £50.5 million in 1983 and £54.2 million in January to October 1984 to the United Kingdom's visible balance of payments. My Department does not maintain lists of exporters to any market.
§ Mr. BarronWill the Minister accept that it was nothing more than hypocrisy for the Prime Minister to comment as she did on the NUM's trip to Libya earlier this year when those amounts of money are coming into Britain from Libya? Has any of that money been laundered into the Conservative party?
§ Mr. ChannonThe hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well the difference between trading with a country, which in no way implies an approval of the regime, because we trade with many countries whose behaviour we dislike, and—
§ Mr. BarronThat is hypocrisy.
§ Mr. ChannonIt is not hypocrisy. If we traded only with countries whose regimes we liked, we would trade with remarkably few. I am astonished that the hon. Gentleman should repudiate the leader of his party, who, referring to the miners' visit to Libya, said that any offer to them would be an insult to everything that the British Labour movement stands for.
§ Mr. GreenwayDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the NUM went to a country which does not allow any free trade unions? Can he shed—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The question is about trade, not trade unions.
§ Mr. GreenwayWhat trade is likely to have come out of the deal between Mr. Scargill and the Libyan regime?
§ Mr. ChannonMy hon. Friend has made his point forcefully. None whatever.
§ Mr. RymanDespite the Minister's nonchalant arrogance in purporting to answer questions, is he aware that Her Majesty's Government have broken off diplomatic relations with Libya and that it is therefore disgraceful that, by implication, we should be receiving the Government's approval in continuing trade with Libya? Is he aware, for example, that the National Coal Board is at the moment training Libyan nationals in computer technology, which is easily adaptable for military purposes? Does that not imply a tacit approval of the Libyan regime?
§ Mr. ChannonThe House will be able to judge whether or not I am arrogant. The House can certainly judge that the hon. Gentleman is wrong about that matter. Whether or not we have diplomatic relations with a country, we try not to impede normal exchanges, including normal civil trade, between two countries. That policy was followed by our predecessors just as much as it has been by ourselves.
§ Mr. EvansIs the Minister satisfied that leaders of Libyan industry who wish to trade with Britain have adequate access to Britain?
§ Mr. ChannonI have heard no complaints to the contrary.