Lord WINSTANLEYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of a report by trading standards officers to the effect that beer drinkers are currently losing £100 million annually in short measure, and bearing in mind the known health hazards involved in the consumption of "overspill", they will take steps to encourage the use of marked, oversized beer glasses.
Lord ORAMMy Lords, the Government are concerned at the number of cases where consumers are not receiving the correct quantity of beer, and will be 2 consulting all interested parties on the question of whether glass brim measures should be phased out.
Lord WINSTANLEYMy Lords, I am most grateful for that Answer, but will the noble Lord look a little further into a matter in which many noble Lords have a close personal interest? Will he, first, accept that if beer is in good condition it is impossible to get a full pint in the old type of pint pot? One must leave a collar of a quarter of an inch or an eighth of an inch, which represents a considerable amount of beer in a beer drinker's lifetime. Will he, secondly, accept that no other drink, so far as I know, is served in a measure of exactly the same volume as the container in which it is served? We do not serve whisky till it is brimming over the top of a glass and slopping on the floor, so why do so with beer? Will he, thirdly, accept that if we insist on beer drinkers getting what they pay for—and why should we not so insist?—the continued use of the old type of glass can only lead either to waste, which would be undesirable, or to a possible reversion to the use of "overspill"—a practice which is now disapproved of by both breweries and public health authorities as constituting a health hazard?
Lord ORAMMy Lords, the noble Lord has shown, as on 2nd December, how close to his heart this subject is, and I accept the description of the difficulties in relation to brim measures. 3 As I indicated in my Answer, we shall be consulting all those concerned about the matter, and no doubt the noble Lord will have a chance to give his expert opinion.
§ Lord BLYTONMy Lords, is the Minister aware that, as beer drinkers, we are not so much concerned about the "overspill" as about the enormous profits which the brewers have been making in the past two years? Is he further aware that we are a little disgusted at the Price Commission, who have given the brewers, with their fabulous profits, seven increases in the last two years?
Lord ORAMMy Lords, I know that my noble friend is very concerned about these matters. I think he will be comforted by the fact that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State announced last month that he had referred the question of beer prices to the Price Commission for examination and report. I hope their report will give more satisfaction than hitherto to my noble friend.
§ Lord WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, can my noble friend say whether this is a matter of spillage or of ullage?