HC Deb 30 July 1958 vol 592 c131W
65. Mr. Longden

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now make a statement on the outcome of the discussions of the Consultative Group on the strategic controls on trade.

Mr. Ian Harvey

As the House is probably aware, the Consultative Group met in Paris on the 18th and 19th July to consider the recommendations made by its Co-ordinating Committee on the review of the strategic controls which has been in progress since February. The conclusions of the Consultative Group have since been reported to member Governments.

I am glad to be able to tell the House that agreement was reached on a substantial relaxation of the Embargo List. The list is not yet available in final form, as certain technical details concerning a number of items are still being worked out in the Co-ordinating Committee. It is however already clear that Her Majesty's Government's objective of confining the list to items of real strategic significance has been substantially achieved.

The work on technical details which is still going on will be completed very shortly, and the new Embargo List will be published on 15th August and will be effective from that date.