§ Lieut.-Colonel Kingsmillasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that two representatives of the weights and measures department have recently been visiting private individuals in rural areas to ascertain whether any garden produce is being sold and, if so, requiring scales to be tested; and whether it was on his authority that these officials made these calls.
§ Mr. H. Wilson:Section 48 of the Weights and Measures Act, 1878, authorises any duly appointed inspector of weights and measures for the area to enter any place where he has reasonable cause to believe that there is any weight, measure or weighing machine used for the purposes of trade as defined by Section 19 of the same Act. No special authorisation by the Board of Trade is necessary. I am informed that the inspectors in the Yeovil area of Somerset have, in the course of their normal duties, recently been carrying out routine checks in the area.