§ Mr. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will introduce measures to enable regional councils to charge more realistic fees for carrying out certain statutory duties of trading standards departments.
§ Mr. EyreThe principal source of fees for trading standards departments is the testing of weighing or measuring equipment with a view to passing it as fit for use for trade. Since the coming into operation of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 in November 1980, weights and measures authorities have been empowered to charge such reasonable fees as they may determine for this service. If the statutory duties my hon. Friend has in mind are not those under the Weights and Measures Acts, perhaps he would write to me.