§ 77. Mr. Sorensenasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the approximate annual production in the United Kingdom of machines for the automatic sale of food, drinks and other commodities; What was the number exported and the number imported in the last 12 months, and what was their respective value; and what action his Department takes to ensure the accuracy of these machines.
§ Mr. ErrollSales of vending machines in 1958 by manufacturing firms employing 25 persons or more were about 40,000 machines valued at £1,239,000. Figures of imports and exports are not available. The law already gives the consumers the same protection against being given short weight or measure through vending machines as in the case of other sales but it is proposed in the Weights and Measures (No. 2) Bill that the Board of Trade should be given specific powers to regulate sales through these machines.