§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the additional costs involved, including the disposal of surplus materials for(a) the public service and (b) the United Kingdom economy which will stem from the implementation of the European Community directives which require all references to imperial measures to be stopped, with the exception of the area of exemption set out in the Health and Safety Executive document OM 1995/121 appendix 5. [21997]
§ Mr. Jonathan Evans[holding answer 1 May 1995]: The cost to business of compliance with legislation to implement Council directive 89/617/EEC on harmonisation of units of measurement was considered to be about £35 million spread over a period of six years. This does not take into account the benefits which will accrue from metrication. The costs to the public sector were not considered to be significant.