§ MR. LOUGHI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, having regard to the undertaking of the Government given on the 5th August, 1903, that if the Commission set up under the Brussels Sugar Convention should decide that sugared goods were not to be treated on the same basis as sugar by the contracting parties, steps would immediately be taken by the Government on behalf of the manufacturers in this country; and, seeing that this eventuality has now arisen, whether he will state what steps the Government propose to take.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe undertaking given on the date referred 586 to is not correctly described in the Question. The statements made by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer and by myself were to the effect that if and when the necessity should arise the Government would take precautions to prevent our manufacturers from being injured by the unfair competition of imported sugared products enjoying a bounty, or made with bountied sugar. To that pledge we adhere, but up to the present we are not aware that any appreciable quantity of sugared goods enjoying advantages of this nature are being imported into this country to the detriment of our manufacturers.
§ MR. LOUGHBut has not the Sugar Commission given an exactly opposite decision to that stated by the right hon. Gentleman? Has he received any complaints from sugar manufacturers?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI think the discrepancy to which the hon. Member refers is in relation to the surtax. It was certainly understood that there should not be a larger surtax on sugared goods than on sugar, but the Commission has decided in an opposite sense.