HL Deb 16 February 1954 vol 185 cc881-2

2.40 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that in January Japan removed rubber and rubber lined goods from the list of commodities which must not be exported to China, and whether, in these circumstances, they will take steps to make it clear that similar goods may now be exported to China by British traders.]

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are aware that Japan has recently removed certain rubber products from her China embargo list. These items, however, have never been on our own embargo list, and may be exported to China from this country. Raw rubber, on the other hand, is subject: to embargo both by the United Kingdom and Japan.

VISCOUNT EUBANK

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord for an explanation of this point? According to the Financial Times, Japan has definitely removed rubber, which is presumably raw rubber, from the list. Does it mean that in C.O.C.O.M., which sits in Paris, a recommendation was made that raw rubber should be placed on the list and that Japan has disregarded the recommendation?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, there has, I know, been some very slight misunderstanding concerning the Japanese translation, but Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that: the Japanese have not removed the embargo upon raw rubber.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, I think the House is left in a rather unsatisfactory position over this matter. Do I understand from the noble Lord that the Japanese list was exactly the same as ours, and that we could always export to China the goods which are now being exported by Japan? Is that the present position?

LORD MANCROFT

The Japanese list, I think, I am right in saying, was more stringent than ours, but it has now been modified very slightly to come into line with ours.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

Does it mean this: that Japan is now exporting raw rubber and that we are not allowed to do so?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, I am at a loss to know how on earth the noble Viscount manages to understand that from the five replies I have just given. Exactly the contrary was the impression I intended to convey.