§ DR. HAZEL (West Bromwich)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the continued delay in the final issue of the general regulations for the guidance of local authorities in the execution and performance of their duties under the Weights and Measures Acts, which regulations the Board of Trade was empowered to make, by Section 5 of The Weights and Measures Act, 1904, and which were issued in draft in September, 1906, after consideration by a Departmental Committee, and the uncertainty resulting from such delay are detrimental to the interests of manufacturers and traders, particularly those who are concerned in the manufacture and sale of the scales, weights, and measures, and furthermore hinder the efficient administration of the Weights and Measures Acts; and whether, seeing that these regulations were announced to come into force first on 1st January and subsequently on 1st May, 1907, he can say what is the cause of the delay and when the regulations will be issued.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE,) Carnarvon BoroughsThe draft circulated in September last was a provisional one pending consultation with local authorities and the final Report of the Committee has not yet been received. Every effort will be made to expedite the settlement of the regulations, but I cannot at present name a date for their issue.