HL Deb 02 April 1958 vol 208 cc625-6

2.35 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the first 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 the continued refusal to permit the export from this country of spare parts for various types of four-wheel-drive vehicles which were formerly delivered to China, Czechoslovakia and Eastern Europe has now led to a decision in at least one case to scrap all these vehicles and to rely instead on Eastern models, and (2) that the result of their refusal is not to deprive the importing countries concerned of such vehicles, but to deprive our own automobile industry of one of its markets.]

THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD MANCROFT)

My Lords, the Answer to the first part of the noble Viscount's Question concerning Her Majesty's Government's refusal to permit the export to China and Eastern Europe of spare parts for certain four-wheel drive vehicles is "No". I would remind the noble Viscount that the spare parts which we have been refusing to license were all for four-wheel-drive vehicles of the heavy type, which is embargoed. These parts were not required for vehicles of British origin. As regards the second part of the Question, the embargo has to be judged not by its effect on one or two countries in the bloc but by its impact on the bloc as a whole.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to thank the noble Lord for his Answer. Is he aware that before the embargo was imposed at all these four-wheel-drive vehicles were being exported to Czechoslovakia, China and elsewhere? If any of those vehicles were of the heavy type, would it not be a far better advertisement for British industry in the future that they should be operating in a serviceable condition rather than be standing about derelict in China and elsewhere?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, if there were, that might be so. My information is that there were not.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

Would the noble Lord explain what he meant by his phrase "impact on the bloc"? Does that mean that we are allowing these countries, China for example, to create industries of their own because we will not supply what previously we had a market for?

LORD MANCROFT

No, my Lords. What it means is that we do this in conjunction with fourteen other Allies, and we have to consider their attitude as well as our own.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

Then, my Lords, it is not protection against rearmament of the Eastern countries but the finer feelings of our Allies whose interests we have to consider?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, the noble Viscount is well aware that it is nothing of the sort.

LORD HENDERSON

My Lords, may I ask whether there is any real reason why this embargo should be continued in present circumstances?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, as the noble Lord is aware, the whole question of the embargo is an extremely difficult one, and one we are constantly reviewing with our Allies.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

My Lords, what is the good of saying that it is difficult, and that you are constantly reviewing it, when the result is patently and demonstrably a growing injury to British trade?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, that is one of the reasons why we welcome these constant reviews.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he has any information as to when the discussions proceeding in "Cocom" will come to a final conclusion?

LORD MANCROFT

I am afraid that I have not.

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