§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards the manufacture of clinical thermometers in C (Celsius) only; and what initiatives have been taken to ensure that the public will not be at risk as a result of this change.
§ Mr. MoyleMy Department has purchased clinical thermometers graduated in Celsius for use in NHS hospitals for five years, and in November 1974 notified industry that the NHS would be changing over to the use of SI units, which include C, for recording measurements in clinical medicine within the following 12 months. The notification also referred to the requirement for members of the European Economic Community to introduce these units by October 1976. The sale to the public of clinical thermometers graduated in scales other than Celsius has not been affected.
I do not accept that there is a risk to the public as a result of the introduction of the Celsius as a unit for the measurement of temperature. Explanatory leaflets and displays have been produced by the Metrication Board to help people understand the system for everyday purposes and a leaflet on clinical thermometers is available at points of sale in chemists' shops.