HL Deb 26 October 1949 vol 164 cc1243-4

2.35 p.m.

LORD VANSITTART

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government why they concluded a fresh trade agreement with Czechoslovakia, seeing the ferocity of the persecution now raging there.]

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My Lords, the new Trade and Financial Agreements with Czechoslovakia make provision for the supply of necessary goods to the United Kingdom, including timber, sugar and certain machinery, and provide further, in return for facilities for Czechoslovak traditional exports, for a settlement of Czechoslovak financial indebtedness to this country, including payment of compensation for British property which has been nationalised. The views of His Majesty's Government on the present state of affairs in Czechoslovakia are well known, but it is not their policy that, on account of political differences, we should forgo supplies vital to the economy of this country, on the one hand, or the repayment of debt, on the other.

LORD VANSITTART

Is the noble Lord aware that since the Communists "landed" this Agreement the persecution has been greatly intensified?

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

The facts may be as the noble Lord says; but is he certain that if we cancelled all trade agreements and forwent all debts, the persecutions would cease?

LORD BARNBY

Will the noble Lord give consideration to the effect on purchases by this country of raw materials from sterling areas, prices of which are being forced up as a result of credits given by Dominion Governments to the Czechoslovak Government to buy raw materials in sterling areas in competition with this country? Will he bring this matter to the attention of the President of the Board of Trade?

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

I think the noble Lord will agree that that hardly arises out of the original question or out of my reply.

LORD VANSITTART

May I ask whether this House and this country are not perfectly well aware that in the days of my youth we sacrificed over and over again, with our eyes open and deliberately, every political and economic interest we had in Turkey because we wished to protest against the atrocities of Abdul-Hamid? I have not asked for the cancellation of existing agreements, but ought we to fortify this tyranny with extra agreements at this moment?

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