§ Mr. F. Willeyasked the Minister of Food what is the estimated yield of sugar from the present sugar beet campaign.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeFive hundred, and fifty thousand tons in refined value.
§ Mr. F. Willeyasked the Minister of Food how many tons of sugar have been imported from Australia this year to the end of November; and how many tons were imported in the corresponding period last year.
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§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThe United Kingdom imported 145,360 tons of sugar from Australia from January to October, 1951, and 186,520 tons in the corresponding period of 1950. I regret that official figures for November, 1951, are not yet available.
§ Sir H. Roperasked the Minister of Food the quantity of Commonwealth sugar purchased by his Department for the 12 months ended 31st August, 1951; the quantity of such sugar imported into the United Kingdom during the same 12 months; the destination of the difference between these two quantities; whether the sugar so diverted from the United Kingdom was replaced by dollar sugar; and to what extent the United Kingdom's sugar requirements during that period were regarded as notionally filled by Commonwealth sugar.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI propose to give my hon. Friend the figures for 1951 calendar year, as this is the method by which we purchase Commonwealth sugar. The quantity of Commonwealth sugar purchased by my Department for the 12 months ending 31st December, 1951, is 1,490,000 tons. Of this amount 751,000 tons has been allocated for shipment to the United Kingdom. 429,000 tons to Canada, and 310,000 tons to Importing Colonies and other countries in the sterling area for whose requirements the United Kingdom is responsible. The sugar so diverted from the United Kingdom is being replaced by non-dollar sugar to the extent that this is available but in the main by dollar sugar. The domestic sugar requirements of the United Kingdom in 1951 notionally will have been met wholly from imported Commonwealth supplies plus homegrown production.