§ Mr. SITCHasked the President of the Board of Trade the approximate monthly exportation of sugar to the United States of America from the British Colonies, and the approximate consequent monthly diminution of such supplies to the United Kingdom, during the past 12 months; and whether any attempts have been made by His Majesty's Government to induce the Commonwealth of Australia, and any other exporting country allied to Great Britain by blood, to consider first the requirements of the home country for this commodity, notwithstanding the higher prices obtained for imported sugar in the United States?
§ Mr. MCCURDYI have been asked to reply. The total imports into America of sugar from British colonies during the 12 months ended 30th April, 1920, were negligible, amounting, in fact, to some 6,172 tons, or an average of 514 tons per month, as compared with a total importation during the same period of approximately 300,000 tons into this country from those sources. The Commonwealth of 645W Australia is itself a sugar-importing country. I may remind the hon. Member that under the fiscal arrangements contained in the Budget of 1919, which have been in operation since September, 1919, sugar from British sources enjoys a rebate of one-sixth of the duty payable on importation into this country.