§ 50. Mr. R. YOUNGasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the new process lately discovered whereby the production of beet sugar will be considerably increased and the cost of production reduced; whether he can say what the estimated increased production and the estimated reduced cost are; and whether there will be an increased number of workers employed for longer periods than at present?
§ Captain BOWYER (Lord of the Treasury)I assume the hon. Member is referring to the process described in 1568 a Report on the Desiccation of Sugar Beet published by the Stationery Office in 1927 and carried on at the Eynsham Factory, which began manufacturing sugar on a commercial scale in May, 1928. Up to date subsidy has been paid on 38 tons of sugar and 80 tons of molasses. The factory has been working for too short a period on a commercial scale for any reliable deductions to be drawn as to costs or as to the effect of the process on labour requirements.