§ 24. Mr. Rentonasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the cost of transporting sugar beet from farms to 188 factories increased by about 7 per cent. between the past two seasons and is to be increased by 6s. per ton for next season's crop; and whether, for those and other reasons, he will consult the British Sugar Corporation Limited with a view to their building a new sugar beet factory in the south of England.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Maid-stone (Mr. Bossom) on 11th November last.
§ Mr. RentonWould my right hon. and gallant Friend agree that there is great scope and need for increasing our home grown sugar beet production and that we shall not get that increased production without another sugar beet factory in the South of England? Has he any views on that important matter of general policy?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeIn view of the capital investment position, the most important thing at the moment is to improve the capacity of the existing factories, which is being done and which will have a very beneficial effect on production.