§ 59. Mr. HARMSWORTHasked the Minister of Health the estimated number of inspectors to be appointed under the Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act, 1926, to come into force on 1st January next; whether they will all be appointed by the Ministry; what is the estimated aggregate of their salaries; whether the inspectors will be pension-able; and, if so, what is the capital sum out of which pensions will eventually be paid?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister)I have been asked to reply. Any new staff which the local weights and measures authorities may think necessary in connection with the Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act, part of which came into operation on the 1st July last, will be appointed and paid by those authorities. No inspectors will be appointed in this connection by any Department of State. I would remind my hon. Friend that witnesses representing those authorities stated to the Food Council (as appears from paragraph 56 of their Report, Cmd. 2591) that no large increase of staff would be necessitated; that in some cases any increase would be quite small and might only be temporary; and that in some no increase would be needed.