§ 87. Sir R. Aclandasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what quantities of bauxite have been exported from British Guiana in each year for which bauxite has been exported; who proportion of the bauxite in each year was taken from lands owned by the operating companies and what proportion from other lands; and what royalty or other payment is made to the Government of British Guiana in respect of bauxite exported from lands owned by companies and in respect of bauxite exported from other lands.
§ Mr. LytteltonI have figures for the period 1948–52 and if the hon. Member wants earlier figures I will try to get them for him.
48WFollowing are the figures
Bauxite has been produced in British Guianasince 1917. The quantities exported in each of the last five years were:
Year Tons 1948 1,873,166 1949 1,757,650 1950 1,583,417 1951 2,002,744 1952 2,285,966 The quanties produced in the same period from Crown land and private property respectively were:
Year From Crown Land From Private Property tons tons 1948 741,625 1,223,060 1949 828,958 969,670 1950 855,337 796,687 1951 1,147,476 925,971 1952 850,258 1,537,680 Private property in the above table refers to land alienated before the passing of the Mining Ordinance, 1903, and in respect of which the surface owners enjoy the right to exploit all minerals except gold and silver. No royalty is payable on bauxite won from such land. Mineral rights over all other land are vested in the Crown and royalty is payable as follows:—5d. a ton on bauxite exported from mining leases granted up to 1947. 1s. 0½d. a ton on bauxite exported from mining leases subsequently granted.
Royalty paid on exports in each of the last five years amounted to:
Year £ 1948 14,483 1949 17,255 1950 16,833 1951 23,116 1952 16,948 All bauxite exported from British Guiana is subject to an export duty, at the rate of 4s. 2d. a ton on calcinated ore and 1s. 10½d. a ton on other bauxite. The return from export duty in the same period was:
Year £ 1948 117,073 1949 109,853 1950 98,964 1951 198,878 1952 230,982 There is an Income Tax on companies in British Guiana of 45 per cent.