§ 18. Sir BASIL PETOasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the total cost of subsidies, and other financial assistance, in respect of the production of sugar in British Colonies and Dependencies, and how much this amounts to per ton of sugar imported from these sources to this country; and whether, in view of the amount of British tonnage idle and the number of British seamen unemployed, he will take steps to see that these allowances are only paid in respect of sugar which is carried in British ships?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERAll sugar imported into the United Kingdom from the Colonies receives a preference at the rate of 4s. 9d. per cwt. for 96 degrees sugar, with an extra preference of 1s. 1721 per cwt. on a limited quota of imports, fixed at 275,000 tons for this financial year; but no subsidy or other direct assistance is given by His Majesty's Government to the production of sugar in the Colonies. The latter part of the question is covered by the reply which was given to another question addressed by my hon. Friend yesterday to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Sir B. PETOIs my right hon. Friend aware that when the Government of France makes contracts for South Wales coal for Government railways they enforce the carriage of that coal in French bottoms, and in those circumstances is it not about time that we looked after our own steamships in the same way?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERAs far as Government contracts are concerned, all Government contracts made by any Colony are always shipped in British ships, but I shall certainly look, on any matter as applying to the general interest of shipping, to be advised by the President of the Board of Trade, who knows more about shipping than anybody in this House.