§ 56 and 59. Mr. Pageasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) to give an undertaking that he will decline to sanction any further arrangements with the United States of America, similar to the recent shipments of coal and of apples, whereby payment is allowed in sterling on condition that the goods are carried in United States ships; and whether, for any necessary imports, he will make dollars available in order to prevent this country being a party to flag discrimination;
(2) whether, in support of protests against flag discrimination by other countries, he will refuse to licence the import of goods, the shipment of which has been made conditional upon their carriage in ships of the country of export.
§ Mr. MaudlingFor several years it has been a requirement of United States law that at least 50 per cent. of aid cargoes should be carried in United States ships, and the United Kingdom has throughout accepted United States aid on this basis. It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to make use of every opportunity, including trade negotiations, for resisting flag discrimination in normal trade. The machinery of import licensing would not, however, be a suitable instrument for this purpose.