HC Deb 08 March 1916 vol 80 cc1544-5
Sir GEORGE YOUNGER

(by Private Notice) asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, with the view of restricting the imports of materials used in brewing, he has concluded an arrangement with the brewing trade, and whether he can state its terms?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I placed before the representatives of the Brewers' Society the requirements of this country and the Allies for tonnage space and the extent of the shortage, and invited them to cooperate with us in restricting imports of brewing materials in order to set space free.

The society have now offered, by unanimous resolution, to abide by a diminution of their output of beer by a sufficient proportion to secure that the importation of brewing materials shall be reduced by 33⅓ per cent. I am not yet in a position to state the exact reduction of total output which will be necessary to achieve this result, pending certain inquiries which are in progress as to the relative quantities of home-grown and imported materials used by brewers. I should add that steps will be taken in due course to give effect to the arrangement arrived at.

I take this opportunity of recording my appreciation of the readiness with which the traders concerned have met the wishes of His Majesty's Government in the matter.

Mr. SHERWELL

Is it proposed that the arrangement shall refer exclusively to limited output or to greater dilution, and, in the latter case, do the Government propose to take any steps to protect the public by a readjustment of retail prices?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I am afraid I can only express an opinion on the tonnage side of this question. What I had in view in negotiating with the Brewers' Society was to set free tonnage space, and the arrangement I have made will set free 331/3⅓ per cent. of the space usually occupied by the brewing materials.

Mr. WHITEHOUSE

Will an Order be issued restricting the imports as in the case of fruit and other things?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

No, Sir, it will not be necessary to proceed in that way, but the procedure will be quite effective.

Mr. LEIF JONES

What is the actual tonnage space that will be saved?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I could not say quite definitely. I should have to make much further inquiries, and the census which is now proceeding would have to be completed before I could give exact figures. It would be somewhere in the region of 200,000 tons.