§ 2.41 p.m.
§ LORD BIRDWOODMy Lords, I beg leave 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, in view of the Anglo-Soviet Trade Supplement recently published in theGuardian, which included articles by Soviet citizens and advertisements of Soviet goods, any similar reciprocal facilities for British citizens and trade advertisement exist in the Soviet Press.]
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, some facilities do exist. In the Soviet Union, however, the Press is subject to censorship and foreign trade is conducted wholly by Government agencies. British advertisements intended for insertion in those Soviet newspapers which publish foreign notices are accepted by the Soviet foreign publicity organisation either direct or through agents in the United Kingdom. If they are considered suitable for publication they ultimately appear in print. They have to be checked by the Soviet authorities for 1018 factual accuracy and for the correctness of the Russian translation. It is not unusual for several months to pass between the time they are submitted and the time of publication in the Soviet Union.
Soviet newspapers have occasionally commissioned articles by British subjects, but publication of such articles requires approval by the Soviet authorities, for example, the Economic Gazettehas recently published an article by a British business man, although publication took place ten months after it was submitted, and it was accompanied by a Soviet reply. I would therefore say, my Lords, that while facilities do exist, they cannot be described as similar or reciprocal.
§ LORD BIRDWOODMy Lords, I thank the Foreign Secretary very much for that full reply. Is it possible to draw the attention of the Soviet Government to the situation by which we recognise reciprocity as the fundamental basis of that peaceful co-existence which they themselves claim as being desirable in the conduct of international affairs?
THE EARL OF HOMEIt would be a great help to co-existence, of course, if Press censorship were lifted, if radio jamming were ended, and all that. I think that we are making very, very slow progress, and we shall continue, as the noble Lord wishes, to press the Russians to agree to reciprocal treatment.
THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, having recently been in the Soviet Union and knowing that happy reciprocity does exist so far in the negotiations in regard to the two Trade Fairs—the British Fair in Moscow and the Soviet trade fair in London—would the noble Earl ensure that the same degree of reciprocity is observed in respect of Press publicity?
LORD REAMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether he can say that it is the view of Her Majesty's Government that reciprocity, in the sense used in the last speaker's question, means positive reciprocity; and that if the 1019 Soviet Union refuse to take our material we will reciprocate by banning or refusing to publish theirs?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, I think we should do our best to get on better terms and persuade the Russians that genuine reciprocity will pay both countries and will be to our mutual advantage. It is a slow process. As I say, things like censorship of the Press stand in the way.