HL Deb 05 July 1955 vol 193 cc413-4

2.35 p.m.

LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE

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

[The Questions were as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Parliament will have opportunity for consideration before Britain accepts membership and the obligations of the new international Organisation for Trade Co-operation (O.T.C.) proposed to he set up at the recent Ninth Session of the Contracting Parties to G.A.T.T.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will await the decision of the U.S. Congress on the question of participation by the U.S.A. in the proposed new Organisation for Trade Co-operation (O.T.C.) before commiting Britain to acceptance of membership and obligations of this proposed international body.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (LORD MANCROFT)

My Lords, with the permission of the House and of my noble friend Lord Balfour of Inchrye, I will, if I may, answer both his Questions together. As was announced in the Statement of Policy regarding the review of the G.A.T.T. which was published in April of this year, Her Majesty's Government propose to sign, at the appropriate times, the Protocols of Amendments to the General Agreement and the Agreement on the Organisation for Trade Co-operation. The Protocols of Amendments are open for signature till November 15, 1955, and Her Majesty's Government will arrange for their signature by that date.

No date has been fixed for signature of the Agreement on the Organisation for Trade Co-operation, and Her Majesty's Government will decide when to sign it in the light of development in the consideration of this Agreement by the United States Congress. The publication of t he Statement of Policy has already given Parliament opportunity to consider the reasons which have thus led Her Majesty's Government to endorse the result of the review of the General Agreement, but, if the noble Lord would like to have the matter further discussed, no doubt this could be arranged through the usual channels.