HL Deb 17 April 1956 vol 196 cc1041-3

2.37 p.m.

LORD TREFGARNE

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their attention has been given to that part of a statement made by Mr. Bulganin on April 11 to the special correspondent of a leading newspaper in which Mr. Bulganin described present restrictions on trade between the two countries as "a strange anachronism of the past"; and whether, having regard to the fact that any removal of the existing limited embargoes on strategic exports to Communist countries would injure our relations with the U.S.A. and be as yet unjustified on security grounds, they can make a statement offsetting the concern that has already been aroused in the U.S.A. and to some extent also in this country, by Mr. Bulganin's disclosure of a prime object of the Russian visit.]

THE MINISTER or STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)

My Lords, I have read the statement referred to by the noble Lord. Her Majesty's Government would welcome from the Soviet leaders any positive proposals which might lead to an expansion of peaceful East-West trade. But, like every other country, the United Kingdom must have regard to its own security, and so long as tensions exist there are bound to be limitations on trade in strategic goods. Her Majesty's Government's attitude on this subject is well known.

LORD TREFGARNE

My Lords, is the noble Marquess able to say that there will be no material raising of the embargo on strategic goods during the forthcoming negotiations, without prior consultation with our Allies, who are so vitally interested in this subject?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

My Lords, in all these matters we always deal through the international channel which has been set up for the express purpose of handling particular transactions of this kind.

LORD TREFGARNE

But in view of the extremely aggressive denunciation of strategic controls by the Soviet Premier, is the noble Marquess unable to give the assurance for which I have asked?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

I thought I had given it. I said that we always deal in a particular way, which is through the international channel. The noble Lord asked whether we are going to do it singly or unilaterally.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess whether it would not be advisable, in spite of Questions raised in this House, to keep one's mind open and free when one goes to the conference table with these important representatives. As your Lordships know, I do not agree with a lot of their policy, but we ought not to tie ourselves up in advance by giving any pledges; and, in any case, we certainly should retain as much freedom to develop our trade as the United States does; and on all occasions.

THE MARQUESS OF READING

I do not disagree with what the noble Viscount has said, and I do not think that anything I said was contrary to his contention.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, arising out of the Question and Answer, may I ask the noble Marquess whether he is aware that, whatever may be said by Mr. Bulganin, the fact remains that many British industrialists, here and in Hong Kong, are most anxious to see the end of the China embargo which prevents them from trading on an equal footing with their competitors in the Soviet bloc. May I ask, further, whether he is aware that trade with China means little or nothing to the American economy but is of growing importance to the British economy?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

My Lords, I should have missed a contribution from the noble Viscount on any subject of this kind. I am afraid that all I can say on the subject which he has raised is that it does not arise in any way out of the Question on the Order Paper.

LORD REA

My Lords, is it not the fact that the implication of this Question, particularly as it was interpreted by the questioner, that Mr. Bulganin's disclosure of a prime object of the Russian visit is to discuss the relaxation of the embargo on strategic materials, is not the case, and that that is not necessarily the prime object of the visit?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

My Lords, I do not know what are the matters that will be raised at the discussions which are to take place, or in what form the Russian leaders are likely to raise them. I can only await developments.