HC Deb 19 March 1969 vol 780 cc108-9W
83. Mr. Gardner

asked the Minister of Technology what official discussions are taking place with other countries about metric packaging; and what discussions have taken place with consumer bodies in this country.

Dr. Bray

The Governments of the United Kingdom, France and Germany have established a Tripartite Committee on Standardisation, which has set up a working group on packaging that has so far exchanged information on the packaging of liquid food products. Any recommendations of this working group will be referred to the British Standards Institution which plays a prominent part in the extensive work on packaging of the International Standards Organisation. The Institution's committees include extensive consumer representation and, in particular, take the views of their Women's Advisory Committee which is representative of 28 leading women's organisations, such as the National Federation of Women's Institutes. There are other international bodies, such as the International Organisation for Legal Metrology, with United Kingdom membership, that are also discussing metric packaging.