§ Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Minister of Food if he will publish a table showing the current average weekly tonnage of sugar distributed to trade users, trade by trade, and for the basic domestic ration; and comparable figures for a year ago.
§ Mr. WebbThe current figures, and comparable ones for 1950, are as follow:
Sugar, as refined, for the production of Weekly Average 1951 1950 Tons Tons Preserved, mincemeat and fruit curd 3,961 3,793 Chocolate and Sugar Confectionery 3,529(a) 3,477 Cake and Flour Confectionery 2,286 2,211 Syrup and Treacle 1,539 1,539 Biscuits 1,011 915 Beer 883 883 Soft drinks (liquid) 581 592 Condensed Milk 413 625 Canned fruit and vegetables 347 318 Bakers' prepared materials 257 268 Medicinal preparations 227 227 Table jellies 225 206 Ice cream 199 199 Coffee essence 157 128 Candied peels and cherries 102 101 Cider 87 68 Breakfast cereals 76 72 Pickles and Sauces 67 60 Lemonade powder 65 53 British Wines 61 57 Cake and flour mixtures 59 55 Medicated Sugar Confectionery 39 37 Miscellaneous 667 462 TOTAL TRADE USERS 16,838 16,346 BASIC DOMESTIC RATION (excluding bonuses and catering) 14,596 11,440 (a) In addition a small quantity of sugar may be given in lieu of sweetened condensed milk.
§ Mrs. Ganleyasked the Minister of Food whether having regard to the change in circumstances since the devaluation of sterling, he intends to continue the special rebates paid by his Department to exporters on the sugar, molasses and glucose content of their exported products.
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§ Mr. WebbAfter consulting my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I have decided to discontinue the payment of those special rebates on goods exported as from 1st December next.
When the sugar duties were reduced by 1¼d. a lb. in April, 1949, with appropriate reductions on molasses and glucose, there was no corresponding reduction in the issue prices of these commodities in the United Kingdom, but special rebates were introduced to ensure that exporters did not suffer from the reduced rate of Customs drawback. British manufacturers were thus able to compete in overseas markets on the same terms as before the reduction in the duties and my Department was able to pay the rebates without loss on the raw materials.
As a result, however, of the revaluation of sterling in September, 1949, and the subsequent increases in world prices, the conditions under which exporters of these products have to compete in overseas markets have been substantially improved, and the continuation of the special rebates is, therefore, considered to be no longer justified. There would, moreover, now be a loss to the Exchequer if the rebates were continued. Their withdrawal should not materially affect our exporters' power to compete effectively with manufacturers abroad.