HL Deb 28 May 1957 vol 204 cc9-11

2.57 p.m.

LORD GIFFORD

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 will give further consideration to extending the basic travel allowance to private persons wishing to visit Canada and the U.S.A.; in view of the vital necessity of improving the knowledge and understanding of these great countries among citizens of the United Kingdom.]

THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer keeps this subject under continuous review. He is anxious to provide a basic travel allowance for the dollar area as soon as circumstances permit.

LORD GIFFORD

My Lords, arising out of the Answer of the noble Viscount, may I ask whether he has noticed that a number of prominent persons, both from Canada and the United States of America, including Mr. Adlai Stevenson, have expressed opinions on the desirability of increasing tourism to dollar countries? In view of that fact, will the noble Viscount consider the possibility of some approach to the appropriate Governments, with a view to getting them to assist us to reduce to a minimum any drain on our dollar resources?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I am aware that opinion en the other side of the Atlantic would favour the change. So, I think, would it here. I am not quite sure what assistance my noble friend has in mind; I should have thought that if you wanted dollars, you would have to get them.

LORD CONESFORD

My Lords, whatever may be the position about dollars, what is the excuse, if any, for maintaining restrictions on travel to Europe?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, that is a totally different question from that on the Order Paper.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Viscount, while bearing in mind the assurance that he has given, that the Chancellor of the Exchequer keeps this subject under continuous review, if, in view of the reports in the Press (perhaps erroneous) of the allocation of sterling for tourist visits to Russia and of the satisfying of the demand on security sterling for the purchase of dollar securities by British citizens, apparently absorbed without distress, the moment has not now arrived for a more lenient assessment of the pros and cons for wider permits for visits to North America?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I think that we are all agreed that this would be a desirable change, but the considerations which my noble friend has put before the House, although legitimate, do not seem to me to be the only considerations which have to be taken into account.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, with the indulgence of the House (because it was impossibly; to ask that question without putting it as I did), in, view of the importance of this matter on Anglo-American relations, may I ask my noble friend if he will boar in mind whether the case of allowances for migrants to Canada, which was resisted for so long by Her Majesty's Government and then yielded to, may not count as a precedent for a more generous allocation of funds for the purpose of travel, thus supporting the improvement of relations between the United States and Great Britain?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I doubt whether my right honourable friend would consider that the granting of allowances for emigrants, to enable them to take out their money for that necessary purpose, is a precedent for travel allowances, which may raise quite different considerations.

LORD GEDDES

My Lords, arising out of the noble Viscount's Answer to the original Question, and bearing in mind the desire evident in Canada to terminate the eighteen-year embargo on British tourists to Canada, could the noble Viscount say whether any steps are, in fact, in contemplation towards discussion with the Canadian Government to alleviate this situation?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I understand that it is not considered practicable to make a differentiation between travel expenditure in Canada and in other countries in the dollar area as a matter of exchange control administration. It is my view, as it is that of my right honourable friend, that all these restrictions are undesirable, and one looks forward to the time, as soon as possible, when they may be lifted, or at any rate eased.