§ Mr. Terlezkiasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made as to how the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has benefited through increased trade with the European 778W Community in agriculture, industrial equipment and military equipment, since the early 1950s; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonSoviet imports from the EC have grown substantially since the 1950s but they remain relatively small in terms of total Soviet trade. In agriculture, purchases of meat, dairy products and grain from the EC and elsewhere have done something to improve the diet of the Soviet people which Soviet agriculture has itself largely been unable to do. The contribution of imports from the EC to Soviet industry has been of importance in some fields, notably natural gas, chemicals and automobiles. EC states have effectively refrained from exporting military equipment to the USSR through their application of export controls on strategic goods and technologies.