§ SIR THOMAS SUTHERLAND (Greenock)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he is aware that the sugar refining business of this country has dwindled to such an extent that the output in 1896 was only 712,000 tons compared with 916,000 tons in 1888, whilst the import of foreign refined sugar has risen during the same period from 344,000 tons to 729,000 tons; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the propriety of causing an inquiry to be made into the operation of the bounties granted by Foreign Powers with the view, if possible, of arresting the further decline of the refining industry in this country, simultaneously with the separate investigation which is now being made with regard to the sugar growing interests of the West Indies?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYIn answer to my hon. Friend I have to say that the figures supplied to me by the Board of Trade do not quite agree with those in the question, but there, is, I believe, no doubt that the industry referred to is in a very depressed condition. I think, however, any special inquiry into it, if it should be decided that such inquiry should ever take place, should at all events be reserved until we know the results of the inquiry of the Commission now sitting.