§ Sir M. SUETERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will remind the Argentine Government that the contemplated legislation to restore the position of British capital invested in the Argentine railways must be completed prior to negotiations for the renewal of the Roca trade arrangement?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEAs my right hon. Friend informed my hon. and gallant Friend yesterday, His Majesty's Government are carefully watching the development of the situation in regard to British-owned railways in Argentina.
§ Sir C. COBBasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, as it appears that the understanding upon which the Argentine Roca Convention of 1933 rests is not consonant with the peso-exchange indirect tax upon the British railways in Argentina, he will suggest the cancellation of this method of taxation, and repayment to the railways of their losses to date arising from the exchange difference between 15 and 17 pesos to the £?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which was given yesterday to a similar question asked by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hertford (Sir M. Sueter).
§ Sir C. COBBasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he will arrange that agricultural and pastoral supplies shall be received in future from British imperial sources instead of from Argentina under the Roca agreement, as the present policy of the Argentine authorities does not permit £200,000,000 of British capital invested in the Argentine railways to earn a proper return;
(2) whether, in view of the continued hostility shown locally to non-Argentine capital invested in the Argentine railways, he proposes to renew the expiring Roca agreement in its present form or at all?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEI can assure my hon. Friend that all these questions will be taken into consideration in connection with any negotiations for the revision of the Roca agreement.