HC Deb 06 February 1934 vol 285 cc973-5
68. Mr. LOUIS SMITH

asked the Minister of Agriculture the cost of Government support to the home-grown sugar industry in the United States of America, France, Germany, Italy and this country during the last year for which figures are available?

Mr. ELLIOT

As the answer involves a statement of figures, I propose to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. SMITH

Are we to understand that all these nations are protecting their home sugar industries to a far greater extent than the United Kingdom?

Mr. ELLIOT

The sugar industry is not supported by direct subsidy in any of the foreign countries concerned, but very substantial assistance is given by means of duties.

Table showing the amount of State assistance given in certain Sugar Producing Countries.
Figures in Shillings and Decimals of a Shilling per cwt. of 112 lb. and calculated at the Par Rate of Exchange.
Country. Estimated Production, 1933–34. State Assistance to Industry.
Normal (Import Duty). Effective. Total.
Tons. Per Cwt. Per Cwt. £
United States of America 4,230,000 12.25 10.50 44,415,000
France … … 900,000 13.91 16.42 14,778,000
Germany … … 1,375,000 15.91 15.91 23,865,000
Italy … … 300,000 19.10 16.00 5,280,000
Following is the answer: The total amount of assistance given to the British beet sugar industry during the year ended 31st March, 1933, was equivalent to 12s. per cwt. of refined sugar; being 7s. 3d. per cwt. on account of subsidy and 4s. 9d. per cwt. on account of revenue abatement. The total sums involved were £2,356,207 for subsidy and £1,678,000 for revenue abatement. The sugar industry is not supported by a direct subsidy in any of the foreign countries mentioned, the effective assistance being accorded through the incidence of sugar duties and the regulation of production and importation. The combination of these factors, with, in some cases, a fixed scale of wholesale prices, makes it impracticable to determine the precise amount of State assistance in each case. The following statement, however, gives figures as recently supplied to me by the General Committee of the United Kingdom Sugar Industry.
74. Mr. SMITH

asked the Minister of Labour what was the retail price of sugar in the United States of America, France, Germany and Italy for the latest available date?

The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Henry Betterton)

As the reply contains a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. SMITH

Is it not a fact that the retail prices here are the lowest in the world?

Following is the reply:

Average Retail Price of Sugar in France, Germany, Italy and the United States of America.
Country. Unit. Average Retail Price. Date.
France (Paris) … … Kilogramme … 4.00 francs … December, 1933. (Average for the month.)
Germany (Berlin) … … Kilogramme … 74 pfennigs … 20th December, 1933.
Italy (Rome) … … Kilogramme … 6.25 lire … 1st December, 1933.
United States of America (Average of 51 towns). … … Pound … 5.7 cents … 26th September, 1933.