§ 72. Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the proportion, in both weight and number, of pre-packed confectionery which is sold in packages of less than 3 ounces; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody:The Board of Trade have not made any estimate of the proportion of pre-packed confectionery which is sold in packages of less than 3 ounces in weight.
§ 73. Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will describe the machinery for checking weight reduction in pre-packed confectionery of less than 3 ounces; if he is satisfied with the accuracy of statistics he has gathered; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody:The Board of Trade do not check weight reductions in items which are not required to be marked under the Weights and Measures Act, 1963, and do not collect statistics of such changes.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the 369W large number of cases of significant reductions in the weight of confectionery of less than 3 ounces, he will seek to reduce the 3-ounce limit for unmarked packages; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody:I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 22nd November, 1967.—[Vol. 754, c. 340.]
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the extensive advertising campaign of confectionery manufacturers, he will seek to take powers to enable him to compel them to advertise to the public any reduction in pre-packed confectionery of less than 3 ounces; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody:No. I am not convinced that it is either desirable or practicable to compel manufacturers to advertise in the way suggested by my hon. Friend.