§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI beg to ask the Postmaster General, as representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what proportion of the total sugar exports from the West Indies is sold in the United States; whether the sugar so sold is now protected from European competition by the American countervailing duties; and whether those duties will cease if the Brussels Convention comes into operation.
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,, for Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN) Worcestershire, E.Of the total sugar exported from the British West Indian Colonies in the year 1901-2 roughly speaking about three-fourths went to the United States. The European State bounties are now countervailed in the United States, and if both the countervailing duties and the European state bounties are removed the position will be as at present, except that the Cartel bounties which are not countervailed will disappear also, to the advantage of the West Indian sugar producers.