§ 11. Mr. Leonardasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the minimum requirements in sugar-beet to allow the Scottish sugar factory to function economically; the actual production of sugar-beet in Scotland; the amount of assistance paid per cwt. to the factory during 1936; and the average weekly raw sugar price?
§ Mr. ElliotThe Sugar Commission, in their annual report, state that the mini- 182 mum economic requirement of the Cupar factory may be taken at about 15,000 acres, representing approximately 125,000 tons of beet on the average yield for the Cupar factory in 1936. The total. quantity of beet delivered to Cupar in that year was 61,138 tons, of which 56,637 tons was Scottish and 4,501 tons English grown; the average amount of assistance paid per cwt. of sugar to Cupar was 4s. 11.4d. and the average weekly raw sugar price 4s. 9.6d.
§ Mr. LeonardCan the right hon. Gentleman state the Scottish acreage?
§ Mr. ElliotI think I gave it in terms of beet. I think, as I said, that 15,000 acres is the minimum requirement desired, but it is in the order of 10,000 acres. In 1936 the area was 6,760 acres, and in 1937 about 7,200 acres approximately.
§ Mr. LeonardDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that it is advisable to continue spending public money on an organisation functioning in this way—15,000 acres being the minimum and only some 8,000 acres being grown?
§ Mr. Henderson StewartIs it not a fact that this House intended that the benefits of the sugar beet subsidy should be spread over the country and that Scottish growers have steadily extended their acreage?
§ Mr. ElliotMy hon. Friend the Member for East Fife (Mr. Henderson Stewart) is correct in his statement that the acreage in Scotland is increasing, and I should be very sorry to see this industry suppressed in our country.