§ 23. Sir J. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give the House an estimate of the number of persons directly employed in the sugar-beet industry in raising crops on the land and in the factories since the factories were first established?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Major Elliot)The average number of 1232 persons directly employed by the factories in the manufacture of sugar from homegrown beets, from the commencement of the subsidy period in 1924 to the end of the 1931-32 manufacturing season, was 7,136, of whom 5,356 were employed seasonally and the remainder whole-time. Figures for the current manufacturing season are not yet known. Precise information as to the number of persons employed in the cultivation of the beet crop is not available, but it is estimated that during the subsidy period the field work has provided on the average 692,000 man-weeks of employment each year.
§ 26. Sir J. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the returns made to his Department by the sugar-beet factories in this country show the tonnage of raw and manufactured merchandise, respectively, passing in and out of the factories, and give details of the coal and limestone used in the production of sugar; and, if so, whether he will give the latest returns he has in connection with these matters?
§ Major ELLIOTThe returns received by my Department from the beet-sugar factories show that, during the year ended 31st March last, the quantities of (a) raw material used and (b) the resulting manufactured products, were 1,951,844 tons and 782,033 tons respectively. I have no information as to the quantities of coal and limestone used in the manufacturing process, but the values of these commodities so used were £239,108 and £48,320 respectively.
§ Sir J. WARDLAW-MILNEWill my right hon. Friend consider the desirability of issuing, in the form of a White Paper or similar statement, the figures he has given in answer to this question and to No. 23, so that the House may consider the advantages of the beet-sugar subsidy in regard to employment, as against the alternative method of paying unemployment relief?
§ Major ELLIOTThe figures will be available to hon. Members in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. THORNEIf the right hon. Gentleman is going to consider the issuing of a White Paper, will he at the same time give the amount of the subsidy that has been paid during the whole period?
§ Major ELLIOTI have just said it will be unnecessary to issue a White Paper as the figures will be available in the OFFICIAL REPORT.