Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) What steps they have initiated to develop a voluntary code of practice to standardise the quantities of wine sold by the glass supported by price display; when they hope to make a detailed statement: and whether they will give assurance that the code will be phased in over a least a year to save the trade any needless expense involved in marking glasses; and
(b) Whether they will introduce an order amending Schedule 3 to the Weights and Measures Act 1963 so that the quantity of wine sold by the glass need no longer be a multiple of 10 litres, thus 254WA legalising the advertising for sale of the convenient and acceptable measure of 12½ cl.
§ The Secretary of State for Trade (Lord Cockfield)At a meeting at the Department of Trade on 22nd November, trade and other interests discussed a departmental paper outlining a possible voluntary code of practice, and agreed to the Brewers' Society setting up a working party to prepare a draft code of practice to control the sale of wine by the glass. They expect to complete their work by the end of March 1983. Subject to the acceptability of the draft code, the Government will consider whether legislative action, including amendment of Schedule 3 to the Weights and Measures Act 1963, is needed to support it.