HC Deb 27 October 1975 vol 898 cc1014-6
9. Miss Fookes

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will make a statement regarding progress towards the metrication of consumer goods.

24. Mr. McCrindle

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will make a statement on the programme for introducing metrication so far as it affects her Department.

Mr. Alan Williams

Successive Governments have believed metrication to be in the national interest and that the process should be completed as soon as possible. My Department will continue to support the change-over. It has always been recognised that the metrication of consumer goods would follow that of industry, but, on the whole, progress in this sector will need to be quicker if we are to fulfil our EEC obligation to phase out the general use of imperial units by the end of 1979.

Miss Fookes

What steps is the Minister taking to allay the well-founded suspicion that this may be an opportunity for the same price rises that occurred with decimalisation?

Mr. Alan Wiliams

What the hon. Lady says is not well founded. I should be intrigued to see the evidence on which she bases that allegation. That applies to any hon. Member. [HON. MEMBERS: "It is common sense."] The Opposition are hardly in a position to talk about common sense—although we may be able to arrange for a definition of common sense to be provided.

As hon. Members are concerned about this matter, if they are aware of instances of cheating on the change-over, we want to know about them. The Metrication Board and the Government have received few complaints, compared with those raised on decimalisation. The Opposition subscribed to this process and set the end date of 1979. So far, the sector-by-sector approach has enabled us to keep fair and proper scrutiny over the price increases at the time of metrication.

Mr. Whitehead

I support metrication, but we all remember what happened with decimalisation. What do the Department estimate will be the effect of this changeover on the cost of living?

Mr. Alan Williams

There is no reason why there should be a direct effect. [Interruption.] Hon. Gentlemen were not articulate against metrication when the Conservative Party was in office.

Mr. Fell

I was.

Mr. Alan Williams

There is no reason why there should be extra cost. As a result of discussions between the Metrication Board, the Government and industry, attempts are being made to ensure that re-equipping takes place at the time of change-over, thereby minimising additional costs. There will be the advantages of reduced stock being carried and single production lines instead of imperial and metric production lines.

Mr. Fell

The hon. Gentleman is wrong in accusing me of not having been against metrication. I have been against it all along. I should be interested to know the total cost of metrication to the country.

Mr. Alan William

No such figure is calculable. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh".] The Opposition express surprise. Nevertheless, that is so, as so much of the process is being phased in with the natural progress of industrial re-equipment. However, it is impossible to give a meaningful and supportable figure.