§ MR. WAITasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true that proposals have been made by France or any other of the contracting Governments for an extension of the time during which the Convention on the subject of Bounties on Sugar would have to be ratified; and, whether Her Majesty's Government are willing to ratify it; and what steps, if any, have been taken to induce the contracting Governments to obtain legislative sanction to the Convention, and to proceed with as much despatch as possible to final ratification?
§ MR. BOURKEIn reply to my hon. Friend, I have to state that no application has been made by any of the contracting parties for an extension of the time for the ratification of the Convention as regards sugar bounties; but, at the same time, the Netherlands Government have said that it was impossible for them to carry out the arrangements under the Convention with regard to beet-root sugar in the time mentioned in 623 the Convention. Therefore, they have applied to the other Powers to obtain an extension of the time in order that those arrangements might be carried out—that extension of time not exceeding one year. Her Majesty's Government are perfectly prepared to ratify the Convention, and they are using their best endeavours to obtain a ratification of it by the other Governments.