§ 2.57 p.m.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, seeing that the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in Manchester on 27th June that the Government's first priority was the encouragement of exports, they will, in order to further that policy, announce the steps which have been taken at the meetings of "Cocom" in Paris to allow British industrialists early and extensive entry into the potentially large China market.]
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, the discussions on the review of the strategic controls in Paris are still in progress. These discussions have so far been ad referendum. It is expected, 683 however, that there will be a meeting later this month with the object of reaching collective agreement on recommendations to Governments. The outcome of these discussions will be announced as soon as possible.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Earl for his Answer. I will return to the subject again, if he will allow me to do so. In the meantime, in view of the authoritative statements which have appeared in the trade and financial Press regarding the attitude of various members of "Cocom" to the embargo list, will the Government recognise and put to their Allies this important and outstanding fact: that it is precisely in the most advanced types of equipment, in which the West has the advantage, that big increases in trade can be won before China and the Soviet bloc are forced to develop these products themselves?
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government's policy in this matter is to be in a position to trade with China in all goods which are not of strategic significance.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl a further question, arising out of that answer? Is he aware that during the last three months a British company with an office in Canada contracted to ship to China 20,000 tons of Canadian wheat? Pressure was brought to bear in the New York office of that company—pressure sufficiently strong to bring about the cancellation of that order. May I ask whether Canadian wheat is a strategic commodity?
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, I regret that I was not aware of what the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, has just told your Lordships, and I should be grateful if he would give me details so that I can look into it.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, may I ask the indulgence of the House? Will the noble Earl put the specific point which I have laid before your Lordships to the British representative in "Cocom", which is in respect of the advanced types of equipment in which we could do a great trade now?
THE EARL OF GOSFORDOur representative at these meetings has very 684 detailed instructions. I am sure the noble Viscount would be well satisfied if he knew exactly what those instructions were.
LORD WINDLESHAMMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl a specific question with some bearing. I think, on both the questions which have been asked by my noble friend? Is he aware that in the great steel cable factory at Shenyang, Manturia, which I visited less than two years ago, there is a great deal of foreign equipment which is not from Iron Curtain countries? In fact a great deal of the best and newest equipment comes from the Krupp's works at Essen. Is the noble Earl satisfied with this state of affairs? And if he is, are the members of "Cocom", at present deliberating, apparently indefinitely, in Paris on the subject, equally satisfied with that state of affairs?
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, I think the noble Lord is, like his predecessors, going too much into detail outside the original framework of the question. The fact remains that Her Majesty's Government wish, perfectly naturally, to do as much trade as they possibly can throughout the world, and no one could be more delighted than I when all restrictions that do not affect the safety of this country are removed.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, was the noble Earl informed that yesterday it was announced that the French Government were sending an economic mission to China?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, Question Time, as I understand it, is designed to obtain an Answer to a specific Question put on the Paper. On this particular Question I think the supplementaries asked have really tended to take the form almost of a debate. My role is to protect the House from such a procedure, and I hope that noble Lords will help us to facilitate our business by keeping to questions.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, would the noble Earl use his great influence to see that the Foreign Office provides some useful information when Questions are put?
THE EARL OF HOMEThat we will always try to do, so long as the noble 685 Viscount and others will exercise restraint and keep their questions to the subject matter of the original Question.
LORD WINDLESHAMMy Lords, the noble Earl the Leader of the House is saying we are straying away from the point. The noble Earl, Lord Gosford, asked for a specific instance relevant to the point my noble friend had raised. I gave him a specific instance. I hardly think that that could be considered irrelevant or straying from the point.