§ 56. Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the action taken by the Economic Committee on Raw Materials of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.
§ Mr. GaitskellIn accordance with the recommendations of the O.E.E.C. Council, an O.E.E.C. Mission went to the United States last December and discussed with the U.S. Government the general situation in regard to raw materials. As the hon. and gallant Member will be aware, proposals were announced on 13th January, by the Governments of the U.K., U.S.A., and France for establishing international commodity groups, as well as a central group on raw materials, in Washington. These proposals correspond closely with the ideas put forward in the O.E.E.C. Council decision of 2nd December and were generally accepted at an informal meeting in Paris of O.E.E.C. Ministerial representatives. Work on other parts of the Council decision of 2nd December is proceeding.