§ 50. Mr. P. WHITEasked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the proposed limitation of the output of beer to 10,000,000 barrels, and the consequent injury to the hop industry in this country, in which so much capital is invested, he will preclude the importation of hops till 1922; and whether, considering that the tonnage required for such foreign substances as rice, maize, sugar, syrup, glucose, and saccharine, even for the reduced output, will amount to 670,000 tons, and, in order both to save this tonnage and to help home industries, he will confine the materials to be used in the manufacture of beer to malt and hops only, such ingredients only being used by the eminent firm of Guinness, Dublin?
Captain BATHURSTMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. The importation of hops is already prohibited. A certain number of licences to export, in spite of the prohibition, have been granted by the Board of Trade for special reasons; but it is, I understand, proposed now to discontinue this practice. The period during which the prohibition shall remain in force cannot now be decided. It is not proposed to take such action as is suggested in the second part of the question. The figure of 670,000 tons given in the question appears to be erroneous. This figure should apparently be 67,000.
§ Mr. R. McNEILLMay I ask whether the prohibition of the import of hops which has now been issued is going to be carried out better than the prohibition which was made in June?