§ Mr. WoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he intends to introduce legislation to prescribe the quantities in which wine by the glass may be sold; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. ForthI am pleased to announce that the Government propose to make an order prescribing the measures in which wine may be sold by the glass in licensed premises. The trade's voluntary code of practice on prescribed measures for wine has made a useful contribution in this field. Nevertheless, I believe that the increase in the amount of wine sold by the glass in licensed premises has now tipped the balance in favour of prescribing measures for wine.
We shall shortly be consulting interested parties about the proposal, in particular as to the volumes to be prescribed and the transitional period. We shall also be notifying the proposal to the EC Commission as we are required to do by directive 83/189. We would hope to be able to complete these steps in time to lay the order in Parliament before the summer under the affirmative resolution procedure. This order will have similar effect to that intended under Lord Mason's Weights and Measures (Sale of Wine) Bill which he has indicated he proposes to withdraw today.