§ 83 and 84. Mr. Morganasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether 2234 he is aware that the present assistance given to Cuba in respect of her sugar exports to the United States is equivalent to £6 5s. per ton as opposed to £4 15s. per ton, which is the value of the United Kingdom preference given to sugar imported from the West Indies; and whether, in view of the present low world price of sugar, attention can be given to the accordance of further preference to British colonial sugar;
(2) whether he is aware that during the past three years Cuba has received an average price of £11 5s. per ton for 65 per cent. of her sugar production sold in the United States, and that the preferential assistance involved is equivalent to over £3 per head of the population of Cuba, whereas the United Kingdom preference concession to Jamaican sugar is equivalent to only 7s. 3d. per head of the population of Jamaica; and whether arrangements can be made for some further assistance to Jamaican sugar producers in view of the current low world price of sugar?
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Malcolm MacDonald)In determining the rate of preference to be granted to British Colonial sugar the Government have not been guided by what may be the position in other countries, but by consideration of the interests both of producers in the Colonies and of consumers here. I think that the existing preference is not ungenerous. With regard to the possibility of further steps to assist sugar producers, I would refer my hon. Friend to answers which I gave to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Argyll (Mr. Macquisten) yesterday.