HC Deb 25 July 1878 vol 242 cc226-7
MR. J. STEWART

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government are urging the Governments of France, Bel- gium, and Holland to adopt a system of refining sugar in bond in lieu of the present system, which operates as a bounty on the export of refined sugar?

MR. BOURKE

Sir, Her Majesty's Government have never omitted any occasion to urge upon the Governments mentioned by the hon. Member the expediency of adopting a system of refining in bond. Negotiations have been going on for some time; but, as is well known, the negotiations have come to an end in consequence of the Dutch Government having refused to adopt the system.

MR. RITCHIE

gave Notice that, on an early day next Session, he would call the attention of the House to the subject of the bounty on refined sugars, and move a Resolution to the effect that a countervailing duty should be levied on all sugar imported from countries in which the system of refining was such as practically to confer a bounty on the export of refined sugar, such countervailing duty to be an exact equivalent to the bounty.