§ 34. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Minister of Agriculture for what reason only 12 of the 18 sugar-beet factories in Great Britain made use of the additional assistance from the Government of the 1s. 3d. per cwt. on sugar available during the past season under the British Sugar Industry (Assistance) Act; what was the cost of this extra assistance; and how it will compare with the cost of remitting an extra 1s. 3d. in excise duty for the production of all sugar-beet factories during the forthcoming season?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThere were certain conditions attached to the late Government's offer of special assistance in respect of home-grown sugar produced during the 1931–32 manufacturing campaign which were not acceptable to six of the 18 beet-sugar factories. The actual payments made under the British Sugar Industry (Assistance) Act, 1931, amounted to approximately £183,300. The estimated cost to the State of the reduction of the excise duty by 1s. 3d. 23 per cwt. of home-grown sugar produced during the forthcoming season is about £425,000.