asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he can state separately for each of the four sugar factories in respect of each of the years 1934 and 1935 (a) the total area under sugar beet; (b) the average yield per acre and the total quantity of beet delivered to the factory; (c) the average sugar content of beet delivered; (d) the average price per ton of beet and the total sum (exclusive of transport charges) paid to the producers for beet delivered; (e) the cost of delivery of beet; (f) the quantity of sugar sold and the average price per cwt. (before adding Excise duty) realised; (g) the total cost of manufacturing sugar under each heading of cost, and (h) the net sum realised for sugar pulp and other offal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - The Sugar Industry.
I am in communication with Comhlucht Siuicre Eireann about this matter and hope to be in a position to write to the Deputy in the course of a few days.
Will the information asked for in the question be furnished with the Official Report?
It may not be furnished at all. The question of the publication of the information is being considered.
Will the Minister's reply, whatever it may be, be published with the Official Report?
I did not propose to do that.
Would the Minister be good enough to do so?
I will not undertake that.
Is it regular, Sir, to answer a Parliamentary question in that form? Are not Deputies entitled to an answer to a Parliamentary question set upon the paper?
It is a matter for the Minister to decide.
In the event of the Minister not publishing the information in the report, will be vouchsafe to me the information which he intends to send to Deputy Norton in the event of my putting down the question again in a week's time?
If the Deputy puts down the question in a week's time, I will give him an answer. I cannot say in advance what the answer will be.
Surely I am entitled to an undertaking from the Minister that the answer he will give to me will not be different in any material regard from the answer he proposes to send to Deputy Norton.
It has been the practice in this House that written answers to questions are inserted in the Official Report. Does the Minister propose to depart from that practice now?
I would put it to the Minister that we are all entitled to the answer; I should very much like to get an answer to the question. I think if the answer is supplied to one Deputy every Deputy in the House is entitled to be supplied with the same answer.
I have not stated that I am going to supply the information asked for in the question.
If the Minister does supply the information will he conform with the usual practice?
No. I do not propose to do that, but if some other Deputy puts down the question, he will get the same answer.
Then the Minister proposes to depart from the practice?
I am not aware that I am departing from any practice.
Will the Minister consider the advisability of publishing the information, because if not, any member of the House can rewrite the question any day and get the same information which the Deputy is going to get.
Quite.
The simpler way would be to answer it in the Official Debates.