§ Mr. SMITHERSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish an Interim Report as to what progress has been made with the Soviet Government in regard to the settlement of debts; and whether he will make an agreement on this subject conditional to negotiations for a trade agreement?
Mr. A. HENDERSONAs I informed the hon. Member for East Lewisham (Sir A. Pownall) on 12th February and 3rd March, I shall be prepared to consider the desirability of making a statement of the nature suggested if the circumstances seem to me to justify it, and provided that any such statement will not prejudice the progress of the negotiations. In reply to the second part of the question, I do not consider that it would be in the public interest that His Majesty's Government should be definitely committed at this stage either for or against the course suggested.