§ 56. Sir W. de FRECEasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give the names of the companies owning the sugar-beet factories which have imported foreign machinery, the extent in each case of such commitments, and the countries from which it has come?
§ 58. Mr. STEPHENasked the Minister of Agriculture the total commitments of the various sugar-beet factory companies enjoying the benefit of The British Sugar (Subsidy) Act, 1925, since the passage of the Act, and the value of those commitments for machinery, etc., imported into this country; and the value of similar commitments for machinery, etc., produced in this country?
§ 61. Sir W. de FRECEasked the Minister of Agriculture the exact terms granted by the Government to the Van Rossum group with regard to the importation of foreign machinery in the beet factories, and how these terms differ from those granted to other British sugar-beet organisations?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Edward Wood)When the negotiations with the late Govern- 20 ment took place, the two manufacturing groups than existing each promised to erect three new beet-sugar factories if the subsidy were granted. Arrangements to carry out this promise were put in hand as soon as the late Government's announcement was made. When the decision of the present Government to impose the 75 per cent. condition as to British plant and machinery was announced, representations were made to me that financial and technical commitments of a responsible character had already been entered into in respect of the three factories promised by Mr. Van Rossum. After careful consideration, I decided that the enforcement of the new condition would, in fact, be a serious breach of faith as regards these factories, and that the early progress of the industry in this country would best be served by waiving the requirement in their case. If these three factories are successful, Mr. Van Rossum has promised to build other factories in this country and, in their case, to make no application for dispensation from the machinery condition. In all other cases the requirement is being observed. The total approximate commitments, as regards plant and machinery of all factory companies since the passing of the Act, is £1,035,800, of which £754,500 is of British and £281,300 of foreign manufacture. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing the names of the factory companies, details of the total commitments referred to and the amount and origin of the machinery obtained from foreign sources.
§ Mr. MAXTONDoes that mean that in any future factories that are erected 100 per cent. of the machinery will be British, to make up for the 25 per cent.?
§ Mr. WOODNo. I cannot give that guarantee, because that would be going beyond the wording of the Act. The Act only imposes a minimum of 75 per cent., and I have no statutory powers to insist on more
§ Mr. MAXTONBut has not the right hon. Gentleman discretionary power, specifically given in the Act, and is he not exercising it now?
§ Mr. WOODI have discretionary power to exempt factories from the 75 per cent. condition, but I have no statutory or discretionary power to insist on more than 75 per cent.
§ Mr. HARRISCan the right hon. Gentleman say why they imported this foreign machinery? Was it because it was more efficient, or cheaper, or better, or was it that it was the most suitable that was available?
| THE TOTAL APPROXIMATE COMMITMENTS OF BEET SUGAR FACTORIES SINCE THE PASSING OF THE ACT AS REGARDS PLANT AND MACHINERY ARE:— | ||||
| Name of Company. | British. | Foreign. | Total. | Origin. |
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| Home Grown Sugar, Ltd., Kelham | Nil | Nil | Nil | Built in 1921. |
| The English Beet Sugar Corporation, Ltd., Cantley.* | 12,000 | 7,000 | 19,000 | Built in 1911. Dutch and German. |
| The Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation, Ltd., Colwick.* | 115,000 | 5,000 | 120,000 | Built in 1924. Belgian and German. |
| The Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation, Ltd., Spalding. | 120,000 | 8,200 | 128,200 | From Germany and Belgium. |
| The West Midland Sugar Co., Ltd., Kidderminster. | 120,000 | 8,200 | 128,200 | |
| The Ely Beet Sugar Factory, Ltd., Ely. | 81,000 | 84,000 | 165,000 | Mainly Dutch with some German. |
| The Ipswich Beet Sugar Factory, Ltd., Ipswich. | 79,000 | 105,000 | 184,000 | |
| The United Sugar Company, Ltd., Bury St. Edmunds. | 114,000 | 34,500 | 148,500 | From Czechoslovakia. |
| The British Sugar Manufacturers, Ltd., Wissington. | 113,500 | 29,400 | 142,900 | |
| 754,500 | 281,300 | 1,035,800 | ||
| * Plant for extensions. |