§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what meetings he has held with the local authorities co-ordinating body on trading standards during the last 12 months to discuss sales of wine by the glass; what conclusion he has reached on the basis of their representations about the effectiveness of the code of conduct relating to the sale of wine in prescribed measures and at agreed prices; if he will now introduce legislation to place the code on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will list the options he has considered with the local authorities co-ordinating body on trading standards and with the trade sponsors of the code of conduct on the sales of wine by measured glass; and what steps he has in mind to establish stronger compliance with the code.
§ Mr. HowardI have not discussed sales of wine by the glass with the local authorities co-ordinating body on trading standards in the last 12 months. The Department has, however, met the trade sponsors of the voluntary code of practice and impressed on them the need to secure more widespread compliance. The alternative would be legislation to require wine to be sold in a range of prescribed standard sizes or by reference to volume without the restriction of a prescribed range. The results of the most recent survey forwarded to the Department by a local authority indicate that adherence to the code is gaining momentum. Legislation would not therefore be appropriate at the present time.