asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on further liberalisation of import controls on goods bought by the United Kingdom from other members of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

This subject is under review. Progress towards freeing of intro-European trade will, of course, be discussed at the meeting of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation on 29th October.

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that in the present rather finely balanced state of our overseas trade it would be unwise to relax this power?

So immediately before the meeting to which I have referred, I prefer not to indulge in any general comment.