§ Major Procterasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the case of any proposal that may be put forward at the coming International Sugar Conference for the introduction of a quota in sugar production in any of the British Colonies, he will ensure that no assent is given to it unless the restriction: applies to all the sugar producing countries in the world?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreSugar is produced in a great many countries, some of which are of little importance from the point of view of the world market for sugar, and I do not think it would be possible to undertake that no scheme of regulation should come into operation unless every producing country without exception participated in it; but the hon. Member may rest assured that no International Agreement involving any regulation of exports from the British Colonial Empire will be applied to them unless it also covers all countries whose production is important for the world market.
§ Mr. Donnerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that the sugar production of the British Colonial Empire is likely to exceed 1,000,000 tons during the current year, he can state whether arrangements will be made to ensure that the British delegation to the International Sugar Conference shall contain persons directly representative of that production in the same way as other delegations?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreAs stated in my reply to the hon. Member for East Dorset (Mr. Hall-Caine) on 24th February, British Colonial interests will be represented by the United Kingdom delegation, which will include myself and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, as announced by the Prime Minister in reply to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger) on 4th March. Furthermore, as stated to-day in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Accrington (Major Procter), I have arranged to have available a committee of representatives of Colonial producers for consultation when necessary.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boydasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what has been the approximate increase in the sugar 1167W production in British Colonies since the last sugar conference was held; and whether he will give an assurance that at the coming conference no quota will be agreed to on behalf of the British Colonies which does not make allowance for the continued expansion of such production?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI assume that my hon. Friend refers to the Preliminary International Conference held in 1934. Exports of sugar from the British Colonies have been as follow:
In considering any suggestion that may be made for a quota for the British Colonies during the forthcoming conference, account will be taken of the latest figures.
Tons. 1933 782,000 1934 751,000 1935 851,000 1936 1,000,000
§ Mr. Denvilleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give an assurance that he will not agree to any proposals at the International Sugar Conference which will not provide for the continued reasonable expansion of British Colonial sugar output, in view of the fact that Great Britain is still dependent for its sugar supply, to a large extent, upon foreign-grown sugar?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreIn any negotiations for an international agreement account must be taken of the fact that the principal foreign sugar exporters have reduced their production substantially, while British Colonial production has been expanding, but subject to this, the desirability of ensuring that the British Colonial Empire should receive a fair share of any increase in the demand for sugar in this country will certainly be borne in mind.