§ Mr. Grovesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any estimate of the balance of sugar imported 57W into the British Empire as a whole for the last year for which figures are available?
Mr. M. MacDonaldI assume that what the hon. Member has in mind is the amount of the net imports of sugar into the British Empire. It is not possible to give absolutely accurate figures owing to different kinds of sugar imported and exported, but the net imports of the British Empire during the sugar year September, 1936-August, 1937, converted into terms of raw sugar, have been estimated by the International Sugar Council to be 1,077,000 long tons, raw value.
§ Mr. Kellyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the average world price of sugar for the year ended April, 1937, and for the period since the International Sugar Agreement was concluded in May last year?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe average price of foreign raw sugar 96 degrees basis, c.i.f. London, was 5s. 2d. per cwt. for the year ended 30th April, 1937, and 5s. 11.9d. per cwt. for the period 1st May, 1937, to 28th May, 1938.
Mr. David Adamsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now prepared to take steps to put into operation the recommendation of the West Indian Sugar Commission of 1929–30 to the effect that only a guaranteed price for sugar in the British market will enable reasonable living wages to be paid to West Indian labourers?
Mr. M. MacDonaldNo, Sir. It seems to me that the objections which the Labour Government then in power saw to a guaranteed price for sugar in the British market are still valid.