HC Deb 19 March 1959 vol 602 cc612-3
17. Mrs. Mann

asked the President of the Board of Trade which women's organisations received his proposals for extending the Food and Drugs Acts circulated 14 months ago, and how many welcomed these proposals and submitted suggestions or amendments as requested.

Mr. J. Rodgers

As the Answer is a long one, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mrs. Mann

Is it not a fact that the answers were not very complimentary to the Parliamentary Secretary? Do I understand that it is proposed that weight tickets for 232 items of foodstuffs are to be completely scrapped and there is no demand for them? Was not the reason given in an Answer to me last week that it would increase the cost? Does not that reply clearly reveal that a great deal of exploitation is going on at the moment which cannot be detected and makes fun of the cost-of-living index figures?

Mr. Rodgers

As I said to the hon. Lady, we were very grateful indeed for this advice and for the suggestions we received at the Board of Trade, but some of these involve very great difficulties, and some, if adopted, would have added to the cost of the goods. However, all the proposals will be looked at in the light of the social survey that we are conducting into this very problem.

Following is the Answer: The following Women's organisations were consulted about the proposed Regulations under the Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act. 1926, and the Food and Drugs Acts:
  1. (a) National Federation of Women's Institutes;
  2. (b) National Institute of House Workers;
  3. (c) National Union of Townwomen's Guilds;
  4. (d) Scottish Women's Voluntary Services;
  5. (e) Women's Voluntary Services;
  6. (f) National Joint Committee of Working Women's Organisations;
  7. (g) Women's Group on Public Welfare.
The first four agreed to the Board of Trade's proposals; the last three suggested additional provisions. The additional provisions were: (by the Women's Voluntary Services) (a) fruit in punnets should be sold by net weight even if it meant increased prices; (by the Committee of Working Women's Organisations and Group on Public Welfare) (b) biscuits should be sold only in certain specified weights; (c) packeted sweets and chocolates weighing 2 to 3 ounces should be marked with their weight as well as those over 3 ounces; (d) there should not be an exemption from the sale by weight and the marking requirement for poultry and parts of poultry weighing less than 2 lb. (by the Committee of Working Women's Organisations) (e) boxes containing collections of packets of sweets and chocolates should be marked; (f) cake mixtures of various kinds and custard and blancmange powders should only be sold in specified weights; (g) apples and pears should be sold only by weight (i.e., not by number or by the box); (h) prepacked large cakes and pieces of cake should be marked with their weight; (i) all bread, including fancy bread and sliced bread, should be sold by net weight only; (j) shortbread or oatcakes should not be exempted from the marking requirements.