§ 97. Mr. W. R. Williamsasked the Minister of Food why a lower price is paid for Jamaican sugar than for Cuban sugar; and whether he is aware of the complaints from Mauritius that his Department pays a low price for Mauritius sugar and makes a profit thereon.
§ Dr. SummerskillUnder an agreement between the Ministry of Food and the Colonial sugar manufacturers, the Ministry has guaranteed to purchase the entire exportable surplus of Colonial sugar up to the end of 1949. This arrangement has been in operation since the beginning of the war and the price is adjusted annually. Since this guarantee has been in force the price has been sometimes above and sometimes below the price of Cuban sugar. Overall Jamaica248W has received at least as good a price as Cuba. The Mauritius producers receive a price which is in line with that paid to the other Colonial producers. In addition, my Ministry has made a special bonus payment to Mauritius to help the producers to recover from the effects of the hurricanes in 1944 and 1945. The Ministry of Food does not make a profit on the sale of Mauritius and other Colonial sugars.