§ 45. Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONasked the First Lord of the Treasury upon what date His Majesty's Government arrived at the decision to withdraw from the Brussels Sugar Convention?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)The matter has been under the consideration of the Cabinet from time to time for the last six months, and the course which His Majesty's Government would in all probability feel themselves bound to adopt in the events which have happened was foreshadowed in the Papers laid before Parliament in March and May. The actual decision, as I stated the other day, was arrived at quite recently. I cannot give the exact date.
§ 46. Mr. FELLasked the Prime Minister if the notice of intention to withdraw from the Brussels Convention will be given provisionally, so that the notice may be cancelled during next year by the Government which may be in power in this country, in case it may be desired to do so for any reason?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe notice which has been given is not provisional, but of course it does not take practical effect until September, 1913.
§ Mr. FELLCannot the right hon. Gentleman suggest some means by which the decision can be made provisional in case the Empire desires the Convention to continue?
§ The PRIME MINISTERFrom the point of view of the hon. Member the decision to withdraw is provisional, as it does not take effect until a year after next September, so that if the contingency he desires arises there will be ample time for it to be taken advantage of.