MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the inconvenience to sugar importers arising from the absence of information as to the action that will be taken by His Majesty's Government under the Brussels Sugar Convention on and after 1st September next, will he now state what duties will be levied in the United Kingdom on sugars and sugared products from countries signatories of the Convention, and on sugars and sugared products from other countries; and whether the importation of sugars and sugared products into the United Kingdom will be wholly prohibited from countries found by the Brussels Commission to be giving direct or indirect bounties. Will the importation of sugar or sugared products from Russia and Austro-Hungary be prohibited, or from either of them; and will such importation from any other countries, and, if so, what countries, be prohibited? What is the nature of the proofs of origin or the form of the certificates of origin of sugars or sugared products that will be required to be produced? Will sugars and sugared products imported into the United Kingdom before 1st September next from countries whence that importation is prohibited after that date be allowed to be taken out of bond on payment of the duties now in force, or will they be otherwise treated; and, if so, how?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe Bill now before Parliament does not provide for the alteration of the duties on sugar and sugared products imported into this country, but for the prohibition of the importation of sugar from foreign countries which give bounties. The 152 form of the necessary certificates of origin is under consideration. Sugars and sugared products imported into the United Kingdom before 1st September next will be allowed to be taken out of bond on payment of the duties now in force.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESAm I to understand that the importation of sugar and sugared products into the United Kingdom will be prohibited from countries found by the Brussels Commission to be giving bounties?
§ MR. RITCHIEI cannot tell in what form the Bill may go through the House, but under the Bill, in the form in which it now is, prohibition is the only remedy.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the German Government has given to German traders in sugar full information as to what it will do after September 1? Our traders have no such information.
§ MR. RITCHIESurely my hon. friend is hardly correct in making that statement. The policy of the Government is that of the Bill that has been presented to Parliament. The method they propose to adopt is not that of putting on countervailing duties, but of prohibiting the importation of sugar coming from countries paying bounties.
§ MR LOUGH (Islington, W.)Is there not a clause in the Bill which enables duties to be imposed by Order in Council in lieu of prohibition?
§ MR. RITCHIENot without the consent of Parliament.
§ *MR. RITCHIESurely the hon. Gentleman knows that any Act which passes through Parliament is subject to be dealt with differently by any other Act of Parliament. So far as this Bill now before Parliament is concerned, there is no course which the Government can adopt except prohibition.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake that at some early period the trade shall be informed what course, in pursuance of the Bill or otherwise, will be taken—before September 1?
§ *MR. RITCHIEOf course, the Bill empowering the Government to take steps must pass into an Act before Parliament rises, and therefore before September. But I repeat that so far as the policy of the Government is concerned full information is given as to our proposals—viz., prohibition in the case of sugar coming from bounty-giving countries.