HL Deb 19 December 1957 vol 206 cc1313-4

3.5 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

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 they are aware (1) that while—according to figures issued this year by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade—China is importing machinery and ancillary equipment to the value of over £400 million per annum, Britain's contribution to this total has been less than £1 million per annum largely owing to the embargo; (2) that West Germany's exports to China are now nearly twice as large as Britain's anti include electro-technical equipment and rolling-mill installations; (3) that a number of the up-to-date engineering products to which greatest attention was paid in the itinerary of the recent Chinese technical mission to Great Britain are still on the embargo list; and whether, bearing these facts in mind, Her Majesty's Government will operate an exceptions procedure in order to reduce the anomalies arising from the present export restrictions, and to advance the interests of British exporters in the China market.]

THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD MANCROFT)

My Lords, whilst not endorsing all the assertions in the noble Lord's more than usually informative Question, I can assure him that Her Majesty's Government are well aware that British exporters would like more scope for trading with China. Any exceptions to the present embargo would have to be discussed internationally in the Paris Consultative Group. Whether we should think it right to propose a particular exception to our Allies would depend, of course, on our own view of its merits.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his Answer. May I ask him whether he is aware that on the last occasion, earlier this year, when Her Majesty's Government broke away from the United States and lowered the China embargo to the level of the Russian embargo, our Allies very joyfully followed our lead; and will the noble Lord act similarly and propose to our Allies exceptions which it is quite clear they will also joyfully follow?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, review of the embargo lists is, of course, a continuous process, both in London and Paris. If the noble Viscount cares to give particulars of any rejected application for an export licence which he thinks should have been granted exceptionally, Her Majesty's Government are prepared to look again at that particular case.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, is that not quite separate from the matter of the exceptions procedure which I am asking the noble Lord to consider.

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, it is separate, but it is a great deal more relevant.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

Has the noble Lord, Lord Mancroft, observed the report which appears in The Times to-day of an article by Mr. Dulles, reasserting his determination to maintain a total embargo?

LORD MANCROFT

Yes, my Lords, I saw the article.

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