39. Captain Arthur Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that over 50 per cent. of the beet seed sown in Great Britain every year comes from Germany, thus in the event of war the contribution of the British beet-sugar industry to the total requirements of the country would be halved, and would not in all probability amount to much more than two months' consumption; and, in view of this, will His Majesty's Government arrange for the West Indian Colonies to produce a special reserve of sugar for storage in Great Britain equivalent to the estimated yield to be obtained from the imported German beet seed, and thereby assist those Colonies in their present economic difficulties?
§ Sir T. InskipI understand that in 1938 under 40 per cent. of the sugar beet seed used in this country was of German origin, and that the proportion of British seed is increasing annually. His Majesty's Government have already announced the laying down of a certain reserve stock of sugar for the purpose of maintaining supplies in case of war. As regards the proposal contained in the second part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question, His Majesty's Government are at present under obligations under the International Sugar Agreement to regulate the export of sugar from the Colonial Empire, and, while these obligations continue, it is not possible to adopt my hon. and gallant Friend's proposal.
Captain EvansDo I understand that, if the Government were anxious to establish in this country a store of colonial sugar, which they would not put on the ordinary market, that would not be possible under the International Sugar Agreement?
§ Sir T. InskipThe result of the International Sugar Agreement was to impose a quota upon exports, as my hon. and gallant Friend is aware; and, while that quota is in force, it is obviously impossible to carry out his suggestion.
§ Mr. ThorneWould it not be possible, in these very difficult circumstances, to have that Agreement varied?
§ Sir T. InskipThe Agreement has only very recently been entered into, and it is, of course, a matter for very serious consideration if a change is going to be made so soon after the Agreement was completed.
§ Mr. de RothschildWould the right hon. Gentleman inform the House where the reserves which have been accumulated by the Government came from, and where they have been distributed?
§ Sir T. InskipI cannot inform the House where they have been distributed, but they are the proceeds of the sugar beet campaign of this last winter.
§ Mr. de RothschildDo I gather that the reserves are all from sugar beet, and include no sugar imported from the Colonies?
§ Sir T. InskipI should not like to give the hon. Gentleman a definite assurance on that matter until I make some inquiries.
§ Mr. JaggerWould it not be possible, without contravening the Agreement, to store surplus sugar in the West Indies?
§ Sir T. InskipIt is possible to store surplus sugar in the West Indies, subject to the question of climate, as to which some inquiries would have to be made.