§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, since S.I. 1977, No. 1866, provides a new statutory measurement for the purpose of the excise duties on hydrocarbon oils, if he intends to make an order prescribing that petrol should be sold by retail sale by the litre and not by the gallon.
§ Mr. John FraserThe Government announced, in the reply to the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Shaw) on 16th May, that they will not be proceeding with orders which impose statutory cut-off dates for the use of imperial units at the point of retail sale. In making this announcement, however, the Government made it clear that they hope that the use of metric units at the retail level will he achieved on a voluntary basis with 635W broadly the same target dates as currently envisaged and that they would be taking steps to assist such a changeover. This remains the position.