§ 14. Mr. BARNESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will submit a return to the House showing the original value of the shares held by the State in British Home Grown Sugar, Limited, the value of the shares to-day; the total production of sugar produced and sold by the company since its formation; and the amount of revenue sacrificed by the Treasury through the subsidy granted to the company in the form of the remission of the sugar duty?
§ Major BARNSTON (Comptroller of the Household)I have been asked to reply. On the formation of Home Grown Sugar, Limited, the Government subscribed for 250,000 £1 shares. The value of these shares has now been written down by special resolution of the company to 5s. The nominal value of the Government's shares to-day is, therefore, £62,500, a 1149 corresponding reduction having been made in the value of the shares held by the public. During the 1921 season—the only season during which the Kelham factory has operated—2,063 tons of white sugar were produced. The Kelham factory has not operated since the Government decided last year to remit the Excise Duty on sugar produced from home grown beet, so that the last part of the question does not arise.
§ Mr. BARNESIs the Cantley factory also involved with these figures, or could the Board of Trade give the output from that factory?
§ Major BARNSTONI could not say that.