HC Deb 24 March 1932 vol 263 c1187
30. Mr. DICKIE

asked the Minister of Agriculture what arrangements are being made for full details with regard to the manufacturing costs of sugar from sugar-beet being made available to the Departmental Committee now investigating the whole beet-sugar question?

Sir J. GILMOUR

The Committee referred to by my hon. Friend has had at its disposal all available information with regard to the industry.

31. Mr. DICKIE

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many of the beet-sugar factories in Great Britain are so designed that it would be possible for them to cease operations at the raw sugar stage; and whether he has any information to show whether factories which carry their operations through to the white sugar stage have been able to operate more profitably than the others?

Sir J. GILMOUR

I understand that it would be technically possible to stop the sugar production process at the raw sugar stage in British beet-sugar factories, but in the case of factories which carry the process through to the white sugar stage this would, of course, involve the disuse of part of their plant. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.