§ 2.36 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, having regard to the fact that the United Kingdom and United States economies are quite incomparable, the former country exporting approximately 17.5 per cent. of its gross domestic products, and the latter approximately 4.5 per cent., and to the United Kingdom's efforts to increase still further its percentage, they will—notwithstanding the intention of the United States Government to retain its present embargo on trade with China—now carry out their proposal to reduce the British embargo to the level of that hitherto applied to the Soviet bloc.]
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are fully aware of the importance of the United Kingdom's export trade. As regards the China trade controls, we must now await the outcome of the discussions on that subject which began this week in the China Committee.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Earl for his Answer. Can he give the House an assurance in the words of the London Chamber of Commerce,
that Her Majesty's Government will firmly refuse to impose additional controls of any kind on exports to Russia, and will not hesitate to take a unilateral stand on this matter if necessary"?
THE EARL OF HOMEI should prefer to use my own words, rather than those of anybody else. I have said that we are well aware of this problem of the necessity, if we can, to increase our export trade. We will do anything reasonable to that end; but, of course, it would be extremely foolish, for the sake of a little temporary increased income, to sell certain materials to countries who might use them against us in case of war. We must be careful and sensible, and strike a proper balance.