§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the decreased consumption of beer on account of the increased duty and the consequent loss to all the allied brewery trades, more especially to English hop growers, he will, to preserve the stability and continuity of the industry and to prevent losses arising out of unforeseen shrinkage in consumption, consider the desirability of prohibiting the importation of foreign hops during the existence of the beer war tax or until such longer period till the price of hops will cover the cost of production of the present area under cultivation in Great Britain?
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§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEAfter giving this proposal careful consideration I regret that I am unable to adopt it. I may, perhaps, point out that since the outbreak of war the importation of hops from the continent of Europe has practically ceased.