HC Deb 17 April 1972 vol 835 cc5-6
3. Miss Fookes

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to modify Schedule 4 (Part VIII) of the Weights and Measures Act, 1963, so as to require jam and marmalade for diabetics to be sold in fixed quantities and to prohibit the sale of all jams, marmalade and honey in quantities of 12 ounces.

The Minister for Aerospace (Mr. Michael Heseltine)

No, Sir. The specific gravity of diabetic jams and marmalades is different from that of standard jams. Therefore, if the standard range of quantities were required to be used, a new range of jars would be needed and that would increase costs.

Speciality jams have been sold for many years in 12-oz. jars and the demand for this quantity is increasing. I see no reason to frustrate this demand.

Miss Fookes

I am dazzled by science but not convinced by it. Will my hon. Friend give a more satisfactory answer to the last part of my Question? Is he aware that many people are deceived by jars which look very much like 1-lb. jars but in fact contain only 12 ozs.?

Mr. Heseltine

I am sorry to dazzle my hon. Friend in any way, though she has often dazzled me. I am sure she will understand that each jar must be clearly labelled as to contents and weight, so that I do not feel that deception is either possible or intended.

Mr. Alan Williams

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that metrication, which was the brain-child of the Secretary of State in his C.B.I. days and was very much encouraged by the Government, gives an opportunity, with the packaging changes that are being made, to introduce the sort of unit packaging which the hon. Lady the Member for Merton and Morden (Miss Fookes) requests? Does he agree that this would be an ideal time to discourage deliberately confusing packaging practices for the same competing goods and that metric measurement of volume and of weight is making it impossible for the housewife to carry out a meaningful value-for-money judgment?

Mr. Heseltine

It will always be difficult with the different specific gravities of weight between jams, but in considering all the possibilities of any future metrication proposals these difficulties will be borne very much in mind.