§ 96. Brigadier Raynerasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the widespread criticism of the Havana Charter which has been expressed not only in the British Commonwealth but also in America, His Majesty's Government will take the initiative in re-opening the whole subject and will recommend that in the meantime the Charter remain in abeyance.
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§ Mr. H. WilsonThe Havana Charter has not yet been ratified and is not in force. It is, however, the result of a long process of international negotiation and compromise; as became abundantly clear at the Havana Conference, it is only on some such general lines as those of this Charter that there is any prospect of reaching a wide measure of international agreement. I do not feel, therefore, that any useful purpose would be served by a new international conference to reconsider the terms of the Charter; a stage has been reached at which countries must accept or reject it as a whole. As I indicated on 15th April in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Kenyon), His Majesty's Government hope in due course, if circumstances are favourable, to accept the Charter, but, before taking a final decision on the question, would of course afford opportunity for Parliament to debate.