HC Deb 25 April 1932 vol 265 cc33-4
70. Mr. AMERY

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is contemplated that the report of the proposed Committee on Sugar will be ready in time to be available for the guidance of the Government's representatives at the Ottawa Conference?

Major ELLIOT

No, Sir. The object of the committee is to inquire into the condition of the sugar industry at home, including production, refining and distribution. As indicated in the Budget statement, the committee will be required to report before the present Subsidy Act expires, but their inquiry will inevitably take some considerable time.

Brigadier-General Sir HENRY CROFT

Is it not a fact that the question of sugar must be discussed at Ottawa, and that this and the question of the subsidy on home sugar must very largely hang together, and would it not be possible to speed up consideration?

Major ELLIOT

No doubt the question of sugar will have to be taken into consideration at the Ottawa Conference, but each country represented at the Ottawa Conference will, no doubt, have home industries of their own, and it is impossible for all of them to be reported upon in time for the Conference.