§ Mr. LOUGHasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he had noticed that a beet sugar company had advertised for capital for the erection of a factory at Sleaford, and that the appeal was based on the calculation that it had become possible to make beet sugar in England at a profit owing to the Brussels Sugar Convention; whether he was aware that the standard price of beet sugar was now 14s. per cwt., or more than twice as much as when this Convention was entered into; whether the promoters of this company had received any pledge that the Convention would be permanently maintained; whether he had promised any allowance from the Excise Duty that would be levied to balance the Customs Duty on sugar; and, if so, whether he would lay Papers upon the Table of the House to show the obligations the Government had incurred in support of this undertaking?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI am aware that it has been proposed to form a company for the purpose of erecting a factory at Sleaford for the extraction of sugar from sugar beet. I understand that my right hon. Friend's information as to the relative price of sugar now and when the Sugar Convention was entered into is correct. The promoters of this company have not, so far as I know, received any pledge that the Convention will be permanently maintained, 1472 nor do I see who could possibly be in a position to give such a pledge. A deputation of the promoters waited upon my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in October last, who undertook that any Excise Duty which might be imposed should be fixed so as to make full allowance for the extra cost of manufacture taking place under Excise restrictions. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. LOUGHWill my right hon. Friend say what is the meaning of these words "full allowance"? They do not exist in any other case with regard to the difference between Customs and Excise.
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGECertainly; they have existed for some time in regard to Irish tobacco.