§ Mr. Bodyasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what steps he proposes to take to make it illegal, in accordance with EEC Directive 770/76, to sell sand and ballast in cubic yards; and how many lorries used for transporting sand and ballast are calibrated in cubic yards.
§ Mr. John FraserThe Units of Measurement Regulations 1978 (SI 1978 No. 484) which came into operation on 27th April implement that part of EEC Directive 76/770. The regulations cease to authorise the use of a number of units including the cubic yard for sand and ballast. The directive generally requires the cubic yard to be phased out with effect from 31st December 1977 but there are provisions allowing the continued use of existing equipment. In accordance with 331W this the regulations provide for the continued use, for the purposes of transactions in ballast—including sand—or agricultural materials, of existing measures of ¼ cubic yard or any multiple thereof until 31st December 1978, provided that such measures have been passed as fit for use for trade and officially stamped before 27th April 1978.
No information is available about the number of lorries calibrated in cubic yards but since the authorisation of measures of 0.2 cubic metre and multiples thereof in January 1971, an increasing number of lorries have been calibrated in cubic metres.