HC Deb 05 December 1957 vol 579 cc593-5
27. Miss Burton

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulty of protecting customers against over-charging unless shopkeepers state the price per lb. of their goods; and if, therefore, he will set up a committee to inquire into the advisability of initiating legislation to compel butchers, poulterers, and fishmongers to sell their goods by weight and declare the price per lb.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mr. F. J. Erroll)

The Hodgson Committee on Weights and Measures Legislation made recommendations about sale by weight, but it did not make any recommendations about declaring the price per lb. Its recommendations about the retail sale of fish and poultry by weight are likely to be implemented by regulations after the necessary trade consultations have taken place. Butcher's meat is already required to be sold by weight. My right hon. Friend does not consider that a requirement to state the price per lb. is a suitable subject for legislation.

Miss Burton

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that obviously we on this side of the House are in advance of the Hodgson Committee, which is a long way in advance of the Board of Trade? Is his statement that butchers are compelled to state the price per lb. of meat correct, because I am not sure of that? Is he aware that many people in the lower income groups suffer very much from this form of overcharging of 2d. or 3d. on various fractions of a pound? Could he not look at the matter again?

Mr. Erroll

I can assure the hon. Lady that meat must be weighed in front of the customer, or the weight declared by delivery note or label, whether the meat is pre-packed or not.

33. Mrs. Mann

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many non-food household commodities are now sold without statutory obligation to state weight, or number of contents per packet, or per box.

Mr. Erroll

All non-food household commodities except coal.

Mrs. Mann

I am told that all are now without an obligation to state the number of contents per packet and so on. In that case, how is it possible accurately to assess the cost of living if these fluctuations are taking place every day?

Mr. Erroll

Questions about the assessment necessary to compile the cost-of-living index should he addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

34. Mrs. Mann

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that since the end of controls fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, sugar and flour confectionery are being sold in self-service stores and super-markets without any declaration of weight; and if he will take steps by Statutory Instrument to protect consumers from short weight in these commodities.

Mr. Erroll

It is an offence to give short weight of any foodstuffs. Meat, sugar and potatoes must be sold by weight, which, except in the case of sugar and potatoes pre-packed by the retailer, must be indicated to the retail purchaser. The Hodgson Committee on Weights and Measures Legislation recommended that fresh fruit, vegetables and fish, but not flour confectionery, should also be sold by weight. This and the Committee's recommendations about marking are being considered in connection with the regulations which my right hon. Friend proposes to make.

Mrs. Mann

How can the hon. Member stand there, tall, bland, urbane and with his tongue in his cheek, and give a reply which shows that he is not familiar with the recommendations of the Hodgson Committee? It is the second time today he has given this reply. The Hodgson Committee Report revealed the growth of the self-service store and pointed out the dangers. The hon. Member surely knows that all these items which I have mentioned are sold without any necessity to state the weight and that our weights and measures inspectors are puzzled in the extreme to know how they can protect the consumer.

Mr. Erroll

If the hon. Lady studies the answer, which had to be rather long because her Question was rather long, I think she will see not only that I understand the recommendations of the Hodgson Committee but also that we are taking steps to implement some of the recommendations by regulation. If she would like a more elaborate explanation than I can give in answer to a supplementary question, I should be glad to see her at any time to explain matters in more detail.