§ MR. MCKENNA (Monmouth, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the proposal of the Indian Government to impose countervailing import duties on bounty-fed sugar is made with a view to stimulating the Indian sugar refining industry; and whether the bulk of coarse unrefined sugar now exported from India is refined in England?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe honourable Gentleman asks me what is the object of the Indian Government in imposing countervailing duties in India upon bounty-fed sugar. The object is to prevent a vast indigenous trade in India, based on free enterprise and industry, from being undermined by the subsidised products of foreign countries. The average yearly export of unrefined sugar from India for the past three years was 45,000 tons a year, of which about three-fourths are consigned to the United Kingdom. I have not precise information, but I understand that this Indian sugar is used in the United Kingdom partly by refineries, partly by breweries, and partly for fattening cattle.
SIR H.FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)I wish to ask the noble Lord if it is convenient for him to answer the Question now, whether he will postpone his decision as to allowing or disallowing any Act which may be passed by the Legislative Council in reference to the countervailing duties until the papers, including the reports of the Debates in the Legislative Council, be laid on the Table of the House?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAIf I am in order in answering the Question, perhaps I may be permitted to state what the law is as regards Bills which have passed their final stage through the Indian Legislative Councils. As soon as the Viceroy has given his assent to the Bill it at once comes into legal operation. It is then sent home to the Secretary of State, who can through the Crown intimate at any time afterwards his disapproval of the Act, in which case it ceases to be law. It is the practice, but not legally 1141 necessary, for the Secretary of State to officially intimate his intention to leave the Act to its operation. If it be the wish of the right honourable Gentleman that I should abstain from publicly expressing my approval until there has been a discussion on this subject I am quite ready to act on the suggestion.
§ MR. COURTNEY (Cornwall, Bodmin)Does the Bill contain within itself any clause fixing a time for it to come into operation?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAIt will come into operation directly—on Monday.
§ SIR H. FOWLERI presume the noble Lord will lay the Papers on the Table?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAAs soon as I get the Bill I will take care that it and the correspondence in reference to it, as well as the Report of the Debate in the Legislative Council, shall be laid on the Table of the House.