§ Mr. DALLASasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the results obtained in other countries by systematic investigation into the economic side of agriculture, particularly in regard to farm management, he will institute similar investigations in this country?
Year ended 31st March. Produced in the United Kingdom from Homegrown Beet. From Imported sources. Imported Refined. Refined in the United Kingdom from Imported Sugar(a). Total. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. 1925 … … 473,050 13,332,384 16,385,897 29,718,281 1926 … … 1,000,628 12,068 049 18,304,898 30,372,947 1927 … … 2,726,603 14,425,431 14,808,429 29,233,860 1928 … … 3,560,563 9,289,908 18,937,166 28,227,074 1929 … … 3,678,162 2,981,749 (a)28,200,000 31,181,749 (a) The figures for the year ended 31st March, 1929, are estimated. The refining of sugar in bond ceased as from 25th April, 1928, and the quantity of refined sugar retained for home consumption from that date has been arrived at by converting the unrefined sugar on which duty was paid by refiners, into its estimated equivalent quantity of fully refined sugar, the quantity of refined sugar exported on drawback being deducted. (Unrefined sugar not imported for refining is not included in the above table.) No deduction has been made in respect of the sugar in sugar composite articles exported on draw-
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§ Mr. N. BUXTONI am well aware of the importance of this matter, which has received my close attention. I have made arrangements for the extension of research into the economic problems of agriculture, and my Department is at present engaged in preparing a scheme to enable the Universities and agricultural colleges with State financial assistance to carry out farm management surveys on lines similar to those followed in the United States of America.