§ Mr. Chorltonasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether any special trade advisory committee has been set up to assist those deputed to negotiate the new trade agreement with India; and whether any technically trained personnel forms part of the negotiating body;
(2) who will represent the British Government in connection with the forthcoming trade consultations with the Government of India; whether the British industries more directly concerned with the Indian market will be invited to advise the British representatives; and whether any agreement arrived at will be submitted to Parliament before becoming operative?
Mr. StanleyIn accordance with the usual practice, the Board of Trade have, as a preliminary to these negotiations, been in consultation with United Kingdom1600W relative percentages of cotton textile goods shipped to the Central African countries coming in under the so-called Congo Basin treaties from Japan and from this country, and also in value?
Mr. StanleyThe following statement shows the value of cotton piece-goods imported into countries situated wholly within the Congo Basin Treaty area, distinguishing imports from the United Kingdom and Japan, during the latest year for which figures are available:
trade and industrial interests, and there has been no occasion to set up any special advisory committee for this purpose. The United Kingdom delegation will be headed by myself, and I shall be assisted by the Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade. The detailed discussions will be conducted on the United Kingdom side by Sir Frederick Whyte, K.C.S.I., who was appointed last year to act as a commissioner to assist in trade negotiations. The usual opportunity will be given for Parliamentary consideration of any new agreement which may be reached.