§ Colonel ENGLANDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, taking the sugar-beet, subsidy into consideration, the sugar-beet factories receive their raw material for nothing; and whether, in view of this fact, he will consider the abolition of preferential treatment with respect to the excise?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am aware of the fact that if the extraction of sugar is272W satisfactory, the gross subsidy paid on sugar produced from home-grown beet may exceed the price paid for the beet, but I cannot see that this possibility affords a reason for increasing the rate of Excise duty to that applicable to imported non-Empire sugar. I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that the rate of Excise duty on sugar produced from home-grown beet is the same as that in force in regard to sugar produced in this country from imported beet and to Empire sugar.