§ Mr. Footasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the interpreters engaged for the forthcoming International Sugar Conference are resident in England or are members of the Geneva staff of the League of Nations; and, if the latter, on what grounds they were engaged in preference to interpreters resident in this country?
§ Viscount CranborneI have been asked to reply. Although the International Sugar Conference is being held in London, in accordance with the generally expressed desire of the participating Governments, it has been summoned by the Bureau of the World Monetary and Economic Conference which itself was held under League auspices. The Secretariat of the League of Nations is therefore responsible for secretarial arrangements and is providing interpreters from its staff at Geneva. At the request of the Secretariat, however, His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom are providing a translator, two précis writers, four shorthand-typists and four messengers.
§ Mr. Macleanasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the price f.o.b. London and/or Liverpool of the refined sugar made from Cuban sugar?
§ Dr. BurginSeparate quotations for refined sugar made from Cuban sugar are not available.
§ Mr. Macleanasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the difference in price of refined sugar sold to the buyers and distributors for consumption by the consumers in Great Britain, and refined sugar re-exported?
§ Dr. BurginThe average price of "T.L. granulated" sugar delivered to home trade buyers in the United Kingdom during March, 1937, was 19s. 10¾d. per cwt. duty paid, and the average price of "T.L. granulated" sugar, f.o.b. London, in bond, net, during the same190W month was 7s. 7½d. per cwt. For the purposes of comparison an amount of 9s. 7½d. per cwt. requires to be deducted from the former price in respect of duty and discount, leaving a difference of 2s. 7¾d. per cwt. between the two prices. Allowance for refiners' costs of distribution in the United Kingdom would further reduce the difference.
§ Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the legislative councils of either Jamaica or Trinidad were consulted before he decided upon the policy of agreeing to limit Colonial sugar production?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead, East (Mr. White) on 24th March that the Government of Jamaica had been kept informed but that the Legislative Council had not been specifically consulted. The same is true of Trinidad and other Colonies.
§ Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether British policy at the International Sugar Conference will provide for an increased importation into this country of sugar from the Colonial Empire, in view of the potential increased output of sugar in the Colonies and the fact that we now obtain 600,000 tons of our sugar requirements annually from Foreign sources?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI would refer the hon. Member to my replies to similar questions by the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Denville) on 19th March, and by the hon. and gallant Member for Accrington (Major Procter) on 17th March.