§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what action is being taken to recruit and train the additional weights and measures inspectors and similar expert staff needing to enforce the increasing volume of consumer protection legislation.
Mr. Alan WilliamsLocal authorities are responsible for the recruitment and training of weights and measures inspectors and other expert staff. An essential feature of the 1975–76 rate support grant settlement is that there should be no expansion in present local authority staff numbers other than that necessary to meet inescapable commitments. However, new consumer protection legislation comes within this category.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection
394Wchildren aged three and four.
if she will list in the Official Report the number of weights and measures staff in post and the number of vacancies for such staff existing in each of the London borough councils at the most recent convenient date from sources available to her in annual reports of the authorities concerned.
Mr. Alan WilliamsAll the information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available from the annual reports of the local authorities concerned. But I am obtaining information from another source which I shall send him shortly.