HC Deb 23 July 1953 vol 518 cc58-9W
65. Mr. Bottomley

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increased trade there has been with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics since the last meeting of the Economic Commission for Europe.

Mr. Mackeson

As I said on 28th April, in reply to Questions on this subject, Her Majesty's Government would welcome an increase in trade in goods not subject to our strategic export controls, but it is too early as yet to judge what the effect has been of the exploratory talks held at Geneva in April under the auspices of the Economic Commission for Europe. We have continued informal exchanges of view with the head of the Soviet trade delegation in London and in particular agreement has now been reached on an exchange of wool textiles for Russian matches.