HC Deb 27 October 1966 vol 734 cc1291-2
29. Mr. Ridley

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will adopt the metric system for all units of measurement in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Darling

No, Sir. The Government's view is that the first step is to encourage industry to adopt the metric system.

Mr. Ridley

Will it not be inevitable, in the end, that we shall have to move towards the metric system? In this case, would it not be a very good earnest of the Government's intention with regard to joining Europe to take the step positively and early rather than leaving it to industry?

Mr. Darling

I do not think that the hon. Member has thought out the difficulties and complications that would arise if we tried to impose the metric system—including, perhaps the decimalisation of currency—compulsorily upon industry, the retail trade, and all the other trading activities of the country at the same time. It is a little too much to ask.