§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how far his consent is necessary for payment in advance of money for advertisements in official U.S.S.R. technical journals; and will he withhold his permission to pay the £35,000 concerned until such time as a reciprocal trading agreement is made with the U.S.S.R.
§ Mr. PeakeThe permission of the Treasury is required for making such payments. As I explained to the House on 1st December, permission is at present withheld on the ground that it is unlikely that direct benefit to our export trade will result. This does not depend on the conclusion of a reciprocal trade agreement with the U.S.S.R.