Metric Views

The following news release was issued by UKMA at 02:00 on 18 January:

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Today’s announcement by the European Commission that it is to propose that “supplementary indications” (such as lbs and oz) should be allowed indefinitely does NOT mean that traders can go back to weighing and pricing in imperial measures – so says the UK Metric Association (UKMA) In fact it will be business as usual. Just as they do now, traders will have to weigh or measure goods in metric units (kilograms, litres or metres) at the checkout and also display prices in metric units – with the option of a supplementary indication in non-metric units. [Press release issued on 11 September}

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The UK Metric Association has accused the European Commission of “political cowardice” because it has caved in to American and European exporters - supported by the UK Government - and effectively abandoned the objective of a single, rational system of measurement throughout Europe.

The Commission has just published its response to the recent consultation on revising the Units of Measurement Directive. It is a badly written and illogical document, and UKMA has commented on it in the following press release:

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Metric Views has received confirmation - from an impeccable authority - of what it has long suspected: that the widespread practice of pricing and advertising office rents “per square foot” is illegal under UK law.

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On Wednesday, 9 May, the air waves and the prints were full of fanciful stories about Brussels caving in and allowing Britain to carry on using lbs, oz and other imperial units. The so-called “metric martyrs” * (Oh no, not them again!) declared a victory for their campaign. So what has really happened?
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From 1st June 2007, it will be mandatory for owners of residential property within England and Wales to commission Home Information Packs (HIPs) if they wish to sell their property. A similar scheme is also planned for Scotland, which has a different system for buying and selling property.
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By 1 January 2008, speed limiters will have been fitted to all recently registered, and many older, buses, coaches and goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.

[Article by Martin Ward]

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At the time of writing this article, the BBC is reporting on its website that in today’s budget, “Duty on beer and cider rises 1p a pint“.

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A contributor asks whether the failure of UK signs to use the correct international symbols could enable lawyers to get their clients off fines for motoring offences
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Some fruit and vegetable sellers around the UK are failing to comply with metric trading regulations. [article contributed by PB]

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