HC Deb 24 October 1967 vol 751 cc420-1W
Mr. Whitaker

asked the Minister of Technology whether, in order to assist British exports, he will accelerate the process of decimalisation of all British measurements; and whether he will publish the schedule of the process as a White Paper or in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Benn

As I indicated to my hon. Friend in a Written Answer on 8th March, 1967, programmes for change to the metric system in a wide section of engineering industry are now being evolved on the basis of surveys conducted by the British Standards Institution. This is a very complex task which is being tackled as quickly as possible but ultimately the speed of change will depend upon the willingness of individual firms to adapt to metric measurements. I do not think it will be possible to publish a single schedule covering the process of metrication in all sectors over the next eight to ten years but I am considering what publicity will be necessary to keep Parliament and the public generally informed of progress. The effects of metrication outside the manufacturing field, particularly in the retail and educational sectors, are also being examined.—[Vol. 742, c. 311.]