§ Mrs. Peacockasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in view of the 5.6 per cent. failure rate of reference tests under the average contents system controlling food products and the fact that half the infringements indicate a shortfall of more than twice the permitted tolerance, he will review the operation of the average contents system.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherInformation contained in annual reports submitted to my right hon. Friend by the national metrological co-ordinating unit shows that there is a continued improvement in the performance of British manufacturers and packers since the average system of quantity control over packaged goods was introduced in 1980. Comparable figures for food products alone are not available but the failure rate in tests carried out by local authorities dropped from 10.2 per cent. in 1980–81 to 7.75 per cent. in 1981–82.
Present indications are that the number of tests carried out is increasing and that the failure rate is continuing to fall. Reported failure rates and infringements should not be looked at in isolation in considering the effectiveness of the average system: I shall continue to keep the operation of the system under review.