§ MR. LOUGH () Islington, W.I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Permanent. Commission of the Brussels Sugar Convention has met, as was expected last week; and whether they have arrived at any decision with regard to the question whether the limitation of the surtax provided in Article III. applies to sugared goods; and what steps His Majesty's Government have taken in the matter.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY,) Kensington, S.The Permanent Commission met on the 10th inst. The question whether the limitation of the surtax provided in Article III. applies to sugared goods was not before the Commission, having been decided in the negative at the previous meeting. The discussion on the question whether a surtax of an amount sufficient to give rise to a bounty is allowable in the case of sugared goods has been adjourned until the next meeting of the Commission on the 10th of November next, in order to allow time for the collection by the Bureau of information and statistics from the different countries, which are necessary to enable the Commission to arrive at a decision.
§ MR. LOUGHBut has not the House been promised that this question of 617 sugared goods should be brought before the Permanent Commission and settled in March?
§ EARL PERCYWe could not possibly promise it should be settled. I have stated the steps that are being taken and the reasons for them.