§ 37. Mr. Sutcliffeasked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the value of sugar imported from foreign countries during the past five years; how this amount was divided among the principal supplying countries; and whether, in the case of any of these countries, arrangements have been made that they shall take an increased import of British cotton textile goods in return for the continued large purchase of their sugar?
§ Mr. StanleyDuring the five years 1933 to 1937 the declared value of the sugar imported into the United Kingdom from foreign countries amounted to £30,118,000. Of this total £15,225,000 represented consignments from Cuba, £5,119,000 from St. Domingo and £3,878,000 from Peru. It is not possible in trade negotiations with other countries to obtain concessions for one particular class of goods on account of imports of some other particular class of goods, but every effort is made when conducting trade negotiations with sugar exporting countries, as with all other countries, to obtain concessions for United Kingdom cotton goods. Such concessions were obtained in the Anglo-Peruvian Trade Agreement, 1936, and every effort will be made to obtain them if trade negotiations with St. Domingo, which are at present in the exploratory stage, are pursued.
§ Mr. R. GibsonDo those figures of imported sugar include sugar molasses?
§ Mr. StanleyPerhaps the hon. Member will put that question down.
§ Mr. Speaker rose—