John,
Not quite right. The only areas where the UK MAY use imperial units other are pints for milk, beer and cider and miles, yards feet and inches on road signs. In all other cases which are covered by the EU directive, imperial units may only be used as supplementary units. The full scope of the directive is unclear, but no doubt once the UK starts passing regulations to implement the directive, things will become more clear. _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John Frewen-Lord Sent: 09 June 2009 06:08 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:45216] Re: UK Conservative Party brochure This document was printed by the Conservatives for all Constituencies in the country. I believe it is inaccurate. While local trading standards officers may be turning a bit of a blind eye to (primarily) street market vendors weighing loose food items in imperial units on imperial-only scales, this practice is illegal. Scales can ONLY be calibrated and certified in metric units - that's all the law permits. Therefore, any non-metric scales are uncertified, and therefore illegal, not to mention that they may indicate any amount of short measure without the consumer knowing. The UK right now has much bigger poltical problems, which is why I suspect this innacuracy has slipped under the radar. I think the brochure, going into the EU elections, was designed to capitalize on the recent directive from the EU, which said that the UK MAY continue to use imperial units if it chooses to do so. The UK has NOT made that choice - only metric units are legal for (most) trade (the major exception being the use of the imperial pint - 568 mL - for beer dispensed in pubs). John F-L ----- Original Message ----- From: Carleton <mailto:[email protected]> MacDonald To: U.S. Metric <mailto:[email protected]> Association Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 2:56 AM Subject: [USMA:45215] UK Conservative Party brochure The UK had elections a day or two ago, and the Conservatives ("Tories") came in first. Labour took a beating. Note the first item on the back page. Carleton
