§ 51. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the Prime Minister if he is aware of the existence of a general desire for a uniform system of weights and measures; and if he is able to appoint a Committee to inquire into the best method to be adopted to secure it?
Mr. ROBERTSONUnder Section 19 of the Weights and Measures Act, 1878, all contracts, bargains, sales, or dealings involving weight or measure have to be made according to the Imperial weights or measures defined by that Act, and the use of local or customary measures is unlawful. The only departure from the uniformity thus laid down has been that the use of the Metric system of weights and measures has been made permissive. My right hon. Friend is not aware of any general demand for an alteration of the present arrangements in the direction of greater uniformity, and he does not on the information before him see any occasion to appoint a Committee.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANWould the hon. Gentleman consider the question of appointing a Committee if it can be brought to his knowledge that there is a great sense of difficulty about the situation at the present time and confusion caused by the different scales?
§ Mr. STANIERIs the hon. Member aware that there have been over thirty resolutions sent to the Government upon this subject from the Central Chamber of Agriculture asking them if they could not appoint a Committee to go into these matters?
Mr. ROBERTSONI presume they have been before my right hon. Friend, but that would scarcely amount to the general desire which the hon. Member expressed.
§ Mr. STANIERIf there was a large number of resolutions brought forward, would the right hon. Gentleman go into the matter?