§ MR. WHITLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade, What is the present state of the negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and Foreign Governments for an International Conference on the question of bounties upon the export of raw and refined sugar; and, whether an answer has been received from the French Government; and, if so, what is the nature of the French communication, and the reply (if any) of the Board of Trade?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINThe Question would better have been put to the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; but with my hon. Friend's assent I will answer it. Inquiries have been made of the Governments of France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Austria as to whether they would agree to take part in an International Conference for the removal of bounties on the export of sugar. The Belgian and Austrian Governments have signified their willingness to participate in a Conference. The German and Dutch Governments have declined. The French Government have signified their willingness to accept the Conference subject to a preliminary agreement on the part of each of the negotiating Powers to adopt common measures for suppressing premiums on the export of raw and refined sugar, these measures to include restrictions on the import of sugar from countries where bounties are still allowed to continue. The French Government add that recent alterations have placed their legislation beyond all serious criticism, and that it would be greatly to the interests of French trade that it should be the same in all countries. To prevent the possibility of misapprehension the French Government have been informed that Her Majesty's Government are not in any event prepared on behalf of Great Britain to restrict importation by protective or countervailing duties; but 1805 that they would be glad to learn whether the French Government would join the Conference subject to this reservation on the part of Great Britain. No reply to this communication has yet been received from the French Government, and as soon as the Correspondence is complete it will be laid upon the Table.