§ Miss WILKINSONasked the Minister of Agriculture the total amount of subsidy to the sugar-beet industry paid since 1924 to 31st October, 1927; the amount per year per company since 1924; the increase in the total number of persons employed in the factories receiving the subsidy; the amount per year per person employed; and the capital per firm; and the total employed in the industry?
Mr. GUINNESSThe following statements supply the information desired in regard to the amount of subsidy paid and the capitalisation of the companies. The approximate number of persons employed in the sugar-beet factories was in 1924–25, 1,455; in 1925–26, 4,584; in 1926–27, 7,157; and in 1927–28, 8,400.
The number of persons employed on the land and in ancillary occupations arising out of the subsidy is not known and the relation of the total number of persons employed to the annual subsidy cannot consequently be stated.
65W66W
STATEMENT showing the CAPITALISATION of Beet Sugar Factory Companies. Company. Factory. Issued and Paid-up Shares. Debentures (including Trade Facilities Guarantees). Total. Companies operating in 1926–27 and previous seasons. £ £ £ Position as at 31st March, 1927. English Beet Sugar Corporation, Ltd. Cantley 450,507 — 450,507 Home-Grown Sugar, Ltd. Kelham 125,000 168,109 293,109 Ely Beet Sugar Factory, Ltd. Ely 450,000 97,440 547,440 Ipswich Beet Sugar Factory, Ltd. Ipswich 400,000 97,440 497,440 Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation. Ltd. Colwick 425,000 830,000 1255,000 Spalding West Midland Sugar Company, Ltd. Kidderminster 180,000 150,000 330,000 Second Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation, Ltd. Poppleton (york) 240,500 865,000 1,105,500 Felstead Cupar British Sugar Manufacturers, Ltd. Wissington 348,730 256,428 605,158 United Sugar Company, Ltd. Bury St. Edmunds. 300,000 — 300,000 Central Sugar Company, Ltd. Peterborough 175,000 185,000 360,000 Orchard Sugar Company, Ltd. Greenock 147,291 165,838 313,129 Total 3,242,028 2,815,255 6,057,283 Companies operating in 1927–28 for first time. Position as as 19th November, 1927. Sugar Beet and Crop Dryers, Ltd. Eynsham 73,050 35,000 108,050 Lincolnshire Beet Sugar Company, Ltd. Bardney 332,500 225,000 557,500 King's Lynn Beet Sugar Factory, Ltd. King's Lynn 450,000 Nil 450,000 Yorkshire Sugar Company, Ltd. Selby 196,874 190,000 386,874 Shropshire Beet Sugar Company, Ltd. Allscott 322,559 Nil 322,559 Total 1,374,983 450,000 1,824,883 Grand Total 4,617,011 3,265,255 7,882,266