HC Deb 28 January 1943 vol 386 c633W
Mr. Brooke

asked the President of the Board of Trade are questions as to whether the export of particular British manufactures is, or is not, permissible under the Lend-Lease Agreement determined in doubtful cases by the British Government unilaterally or by machinery for mutual agreement between the British and American Governments; and, if the latter, what is the nature of this machinery and on what principles does it operate?

Mr. Dalton

The White Paper of 10th September, 1941 (Command 6311) was a unilateral declaration of policy by His Majesty's Government, who must, therefore, in the last resort be solely responsible for its interpretation and execution. They naturally desire, however, to take account of the views of the competent United States authorities in cases of doubt. Machinery has, therefore, been established in Washington on an informal basis for consultation in such cases. These include questions of fact, such as whether particular classes of goods are obtainable in the United States; and questions of policy, such as whether strict adherence to the terms of the White Paper might impair the war effort.

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