61. Sir F. HALLasked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the approximate total profit accruing to the beet-sugar factories in respect of refining imported raw sugar during each year in which such operations have been carried out; and whether any allowance was made for such subsidiary profits in the calculations upon which the original subsidy terms were based?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI am not in a position to give the information asked for in the first part of the question. The answer to the second part is in the negative.
§ 62. Mr. MACPHERSONasked the Minister of Agriculture what have been the aggregate amounts, respectively, paid to farmers for sugar-beet in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire, and to beet-sugar factories situate in those counties in respect of subsidy and duty preference since the beginning of the beet-sugar subsidy scheme; and how these amounts compare with the total amounts disbursed to all farmers for beet and to all factories in respect of duty and subsidy over the same period?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs the reply includes a tabular statement, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ So far as payments to growers in particular areas are concerned, I can give figures only by reference to the situation 457 of the factories for which the beets were grown. Subject to this proviso, the information desired by the hon. Member in
| Area. | Aggregate Amounts paid to growers by factories in the area. | Total assistance granted to factories in the area. | ||||
| Subsidy. | Effective duty preference. | |||||
| £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Norfolk | … | … | … | 5,805,000 | 5,057,000 | 1,087,000 |
| Suffolk | … | … | … | 4,556,000 | 3,993,000 | 903,000 |
| Lincolnshire | … | … | … | 2,722,000 | 2,262,000 | 517,000 |
| Great Britain | … | … | … | 25,654,000 | 22,368,000 | 4,927,000 |
§ 63. Mr. LEWISasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the suitability of the agricultural land in the neighbourhood of Colchester for the growing of sugar-beet and having regard to the fact that there is no beet-sugar factory within a convenient distance, he will inquire as to the desirability and practicability of further steps being taken to develop the sugar-beet industry in this district?
§ Sir J. GILMOURNo, Sir. The question of the desirability and practicability of erecting new beet-sugar factories is a matter for private enterprise.