§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what were the quantities of concentrated lime juice, citrate of lime, or other products used by British manufacturers for the purpose of making citric acid imported into this country from the British Island of Dominica and Sicily, respectively, during the past two years; what is the estimated unsold stock of citrate now available in Sicily; and whether the question of including foreign-produced citrate in the Schedule of the Safeguarding of Industries Act with a view to assisting the British producer of citrate has yet been referred to the Advisory Committee?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMESeparate statistics of the importations from Dominica and Sicily of the commodities mentioned are not available, but the following statement shows the importations from the British West Indies and Italy respectively:—
1999WI am not able to state what amounts of the importations under the second heading were for the manufacture of citric acid; and I have no information as to the present stocks of citrate in Sicily.
As regards the last part of the question, my hon. Friend appears to be under a misapprehension. Citrate as ordinarily used for making citric acid is not covered by any of the headings in the Schedule to Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act, and no application in respect of it could be made under Part II of that Act.