§ Mr. Timothy Smithasked the Minister for Trade what discussions he has had with the United States Administration about the application of United States laws to the subsidiaries in the United Kingdom of United States corporations, in particular in relation to the countering of the Arab trade boycott of Israel; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter Rees[pursuant to the reply, 24 February 1983, c. 487]: This is a long standing problem on which our discussions with the United States Administration have recently been intensified because of the impending review of the United States Export Administration Act. The Act is one of the principal laws which is applied extra-territorially and regulations made under it include those relating to the countering of the Arab trade boycott of Israel. We have made it clear that we regard the application of these laws to companies registered and doing business in the United Kingdom as quite unjustified and contrary to international law.