§ 38. Mr. Jaggerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now received the memorandum of the Jamaica Legislative Council drawing attention to the unemployment which would be created in that colony if colonial sugar production is to be curtailed under any agreement reached at the International Sugar Conference; whether, in view of this, he will reconsider his decision that such curtailment is desirable; and whether he will take steps to obtain information from the sugar producing colonies as to the amount of unemployment which will be caused in each if sugar production is stabilised at its present level and the output per acre continues to increase?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI have not yet received the memorandum referred to, and without knowing its precise terms it is difficult for me to reply to the second part of the question. I would, however, inform the hon. Member that no decision has been taken to curtail Colonial output but only to consider regulation of its expansion if that is necessary to secure an otherwise satisfactory International Agreement which, as indicated in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Accrington (Major Procter) on 17th March, I and my advisers believe would be on balance more beneficial to Colonial producers than unregulated production. As to the last part of the question, I have not received any representations to the effect that the stabilisation of present output would lead to a diminution of employment, but I will make inquiries from Colonial Governments.
§ Mr. JaggerHas the right hon. Gentleman yet had any consultation with the authorities at Jamaica in connection with the matter?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI think I have received some views from the Jamaica Government and a representative of the Jamaica sugar trade interest attended my Advisory Committee. All the Governors of the sugar-producing Colonies have been informed up to date of the preparatory discussions before the Conference.
§ 40. Mr. Macquistenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered any scheme whereby the British Empire could become self-supporting as regards sugar through increased output in the tropical Colonies; and whether he will arrange for its discussion at the forthcoming Sugar Conference?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreNo such scheme has been put before me, and it would hardly be appropriate to discuss it at an International Conference.
§ 41. Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that at a recent meeting of the Jamaica Imperial Association attention was called to the fact that the present deficit of the colony amounted to over £30,000, and a resolution passed urging the Government and the Legislative Council to have regard to the need for further expansion of sugar production in Jamaica owing to the reduction of the banana crops through Panama disease; and whether, in these circumstances, he can give an assurance that no decision will be agreed to by the British delegation to the forthcoming Sugar Conference which would prevent the reasonable further expansion of British colonial sugar production?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThe resolution referred to has not been brought to my notice. As to the latter part of the question, I would refer to the answer given to the hon. and gallant Member for Accrington (Major Procter) on 17th March.
§ 42. Mr. Graham Whiteasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now received the resolution passed by the Legislative Council of Jamaica indicating that the restriction of Jamaican sugar production under any agreement reached at the International Sugar Conference would cause increased unemployment in that island; and to what extent the Legislative Council of Jamaica has 2887 been taken into consultation in the preparation of the British policy to be put forward at this conference?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreAs to the first part of the question, I would refer to the answer I have given to-day to the hon. Member for Clayton (Mr. Jagger). As to the second part, the Government of Jamaica have been kept informed of the progress of preliminary discussions, but the Legislative Council has not been specifically consulted by His Majesty's Government.
§ 95. Mr. Sandysasked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the fact that the British Empire as a whole is still an importer of sugar, whereas many other countries participating in the forthcoming International Sugar Conference are exporters of sugar, he can give an assurance that nothing will be agreed to by the British delegation to this conference which will prevent the British Empire from becoming self-supporting in sugar at the earliest possible opportunity?
§ Mr. R. MacDonaldHis Majesty's Government have not adopted a policy aiming at complete self-sufficiency as regards sugar on the part of the British Empire as a whole, and are therefore unable to give any such assurance as is suggested.
§ 96. Mr. Whiteasked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the fact that only countries representing 90 per cent. of world sugar production have been invited to the International Sugar Conference and that not all these have accepted, he will give an assurance that the British delegation will agree to no limitation on output or exports that will give to those countries not participating an unfair advantage over our own sugar-producing Colonies?
§ Mr. MacDonaldHis Majesty's Government would not enter into an agreement which in their opinion gave either to countries participating in it or to countries outside it an unfair advantage over any British territory. Those countries not invited to the conference are those whose production of sugar is comparatively small. Actually their combined exports amount to less than 1 per cent. of total world exports.