§ 25. Mrs. Mannasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will place his proposed new Regulations regarding weight tickets on food, fruit and vegetables in the Library and send copies of his proposals to hon. Members on request.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mr. F. J. Erroll)I will, on request, send any hon. Member a copy of the letter in which the Board consulted interested organisations about certain proposed changes in the law. The Regulations themselves cannot be drafted until representations from all these bodies have been considered.
§ Mrs. MannMay I express to the hon. Member my appreciation of these proposed changes because they indicate the end of a campaign? Would not the matter be much more effective if housewives were informed that it will be an offence for traders to sell a wide range of fruit and vegetables without weight tickets being clearly marked?
§ Mr. ErrollI appreciate the remarks which the hon. Lady has made. It would be better first to publish the Regulations before issuing advance information about what they may contain.
§ 26. Mrs. Mannasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his new 1382 Regulations regarding stated weights on fruit, vegetables, etc., will be in operation this summer.
§ Mr. F. J. ErrollNo, Sir.
§ Mrs. MannI am disappointed that these Regulations cannot be brought into operation this summer. The proposals would delight the housewives and would have the effect of stabilising prices. While it is known that Regulations regarding alcoholic liquors and soft drinks are to be postponed, is it not possible to bring the soft fruit Regulations into operation this summer?
§ Mr. ErrollNo, Sir. We are in difficulties here with the timetable. We have to obtain the views of the industries concerned on the draft Regulations. After the Regulations have been approved by both Houses of Parliament, in the case of one set of Regulations there has to be a waiting period of six months which is imposed by the Act.