§ Mr. LOUGHasked whether an agreements has been arrived at between the Powers as to the renewal of the Sugar Convention for five years on the same conditions as before; whether he could make any statement as to the action taken at the recent sittings of the Convention by the representative of the United Kingdom; whether an adjournment till 26th February has been agreed to; and when he expects to lay Papers before the House dealing with the matter?
§ Mr. ACLANDNo agreement has yet been reached by the contracting States, and the Commission has adjourned till February 26th. Papers have already been laid dealing with the meeting of the Commission of last December, and further papers will be laid shortly.
§ Mr. LOUGHIs my hon. Friend aware that in the French Chamber the Minister for Finance stated the other day—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is fresh matter of which the right hon. Gentleman should give notice.
§ Mr. LOUGHWith great respect, it is the mere statement that the Powers had agreed that I want to bring to the notice of my hon. Friend and to ask him can he confirm it or say on what terms the agreement was arrived at?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe right hon. Gentleman should give notice of that.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe words the French Minister used are not on the Paper, and if the right hon. Gentleman wishes a statement of them he ought to put the question down. He cannot expect that the hon. Gentleman the Under-Secretary to know everything that took place in the French Chamber.
§ Mr. LOUGHasked the Prime Minister whether his attention had been called to a paragraph in the instructions, dated 7th December, 1911, given to the British representative at the Brussels Sugar Convention, which met on 9th December stating that His Majesty's Government will at an early date consider carefully whether the arrangement is of a sufficiently satisfactory character to enable them, without detriment to the interests of British consumers and sugar-using trades, to continue parties to the Convention, subject always to the right to give one year's notice of withdrawal; whether these instructions conflict with the undertaking that he gave to the House on 14th December, that the Government would not commit itself to remain a party to the Convention, but would keep a free hand until the House of Commons had an opportunity of reviewing the adjourned negotiations; whether he has noticed that the Convention has been adjourned till 26th February, when a plenary sitting of the Conference is to take place; and when he hopes to fulfil his promise and give the House an opportunity of discussing the matter?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)There is no inconsistency between the instructions to the British representative and the undertaking given in this House. 274 I had hoped that an opportunity for discussing the matter might arise on the Address. If that turns out to be impracticable I will consider how and at what time the question can best be raised.
§ Mr. LOUGHMay I understand that the Government will not commit itself to any decision before the debate takes place?