We believe that the following news, relating to regulations from January 1st 2000 making the use of lb/oz a criminal offence, is of immediate interest to traders and consumers among your readership.
Over the past few weeks Trading Standards Officers have been instructing traders to convert weighing machines and signs to the metric system.
However, it is now almost certain that these regulations are ultra vires - and that the compulsory use of metric units cannot be legally enforced.
Eminent barrister in administrative law Michael Shrimpton has released a 27 page legal opinion demonstrating that compulsory metric regulations are illegal. This is because lb/oz and other imperial units are expressly permitted by the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and cannot be nullified by mere regulations passed in 1994 to compel metric.
The 1985 Act therefore stands and Trading Standards Officers who tell traders to use metric do so with no legal authority.
A test case is expected in the next 90 days. We therefore advise traders not to convert equipment or signs to metric until the matter is resolved via the legal process. We full expect a test case to declare compulsory metric regulations unlawful.
Copies of Mr Shrimpton's Legal Opinion are available free of charge from Tony Bennett, Assistant to Jeffrey Titford MEP, by telephoning 01245 266466 or by writing to: Office of Jeffrey Titford, Rochester House, 145 New London Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 0CT.
John Gardner
Retail Liaison Officer
British Weights & Measures Assoc
Edinburgh