§ 1. Sir DOUGLAS NEWTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the inability of the Food Council to consider questions regarding thy accuracy and relative merits of various types of weighing and measuring instruments at present in use, he is prepared to institute inquiries into the working and administration of the Weights and Measures Act?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister)As at present advised, I am not prepared to institute an inquiry of the kind suggested. The whole administration of the Weights and Measures Act is constantly under review, and the existing law appears to be sufficient to ensure that no undesirable type of weighing instrument shall be used in trade. It is, of course, impossible completely to prevent the fraudulent manipulation of any type of weighing machine, but I hope shortly to introduce a Bill to strengthen the law by making the giving of short weight a penal offence.
§ Sir D. NEWTONIn view of the delay of the Department in dealing with the question of petrol pumps, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that some investigation into the work of the administration of the Weights and Measures Act is called for?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERMy hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. The delay in dealing with petrol pumps does not lie at the door of the Department. It is because the Bill to give us the power to deal with them has not yet passed the two Houses. It has passed another place and I hope it will soon be through here.