§ Mr. PONSONBYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India what proportion of the total revenue of India is derived from sales of opium and from licence fees and excise duties on opium; how much opium is produced annually for export and how much for internal consumption in India; and what acreage is at present under poppy cultivation?
§ EARL WINTERTONThe latest complete figures available regarding opium are for 1920–21. In that year the total revenue derived from the sale of opium, licence fees, and excise duties was about 3 per cent. of the gross revenue of India. The number of chests manufactured in the opium year ending 31st October, 1921, was 12,524, of which 5,800 chests were for export and 6,724 chests for internal consumption. The area under poppy in that year was 116,056 acres, after deducting failures.
§ Mr. PONSONBYasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what proportion of the revenue of the following colonies is derived from sales of opium and licence fees and excise duties on opium; and how many selling permits are issued, and how many smoking rooms are licensed, in each colony, respectively; the Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, the Malay States, each of the unfederated Malay States under British protection, Ceylon, Brunei, Sarawak, and British North Borneo?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe information in the possession of the Colonial Office does not enable me to reply fully to the question, and the various Governments concerned are being requested to supply statements.