§ Mr. RiddickTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's review of policy on section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 relating to froth on beer or cider.
§ Mr. McLoughlinMy hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) announced on 29 March,Official Report, columns 50–51 that, as part of the Government's deregulation initiative, the Department of Trade and Industry was reassessing the costs and benefits of the implementation of section 43 and that interested parties had been asked to provide information relevant to this reassessment.
We have now completed our reassessment of the commencement order which was made last year and which would bring section 43 into force from next April. After reviewing the costs of complying with the order, and considering the views of consumers, enforcement authorities and business we have concluded that these costs are disproportionate to the consumer benefit. They would include the cost to licensees of replacing brim measure glasses with new lined glasses or installing meters. It was also clear from the consultations that in most cases the costs of extra beer would be passed on to the consumer, with price increases amounting to about 7p a pint in pubs now using brim measures.
Accordingly, I have today revoked the commencement order thus allowing the continuation of the existing case law that a pint of beer may consist of liquid and a reasonable head. We will also bring forward, as soon as parliamentary time permits, legislation to repeal section 43.
I understand that the Brewers' Society is issuing revised guidance to its members on the dispense of draught beer. It will say that a pint of draught beer with a head should contain a minimum of 95 per cent. liquid. This guidance is issued in conjunction with organisations representing licensees. Trading standards officers will be able to refer to the guidance in court cases about short measure and the courts can be expected to attach considerable weight to it.
If customers are unhappy with the amount of liquid beer they have received they are already able to ask for, and should get, a top-up. The Brewers' Society's revised guidance will state that such requests should always be received with good grace.