§ On the Motion that the House proceed to the Orders of the Day,
MR. MOFFATT,seeing the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his place, begged leave to ask him what the intentions of the Government were with regard to proposing a substitute for the duties which were hitherto levied in pursuance of an annual Bill on Sugar? A distinct promise was given by the Government when it was proposed to make the Sugar Duties permanent, that some large amount of duty to be agreed to annually should be substituted; and he (Mr. Moffatt) wished to know if the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer was now prepared to name the articles on which such annual duty was in future to be levied?
The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERwas not prepared to say what duties the Government would submit to the House for annual revision and imposition. It had been repeatedly stated, during the recent discussions, that it was exceedingly inconvenient that these annual discussions should take place on the Sugar Duties; and it was highly desirable, before any duty was fixed upon to be annually discussed, that the matter should be very carefully considered. There was hardly any one duty, for the reduction of which a Motion had not been made during the year; and it became an important question how in such a matter they could best consult the interests of the country. The Government would therefore take time to consider what these duties should be, and he would not, till next Session, state what their decision on the matter was. He thought the House would have so much confidence in the Government as to allow this matter to stand over till that time.