The measure of weights

Not long ago, a post popped into my LinkedIn feed decrying the Government’s consultation on the privatisation of Channel 4 as a travesty of democracy, or some such hyperbole. I easily knocked that one on the head and moved on with my life.

Last weekend, another post appeared denigrating the Government’s consultation. on giving businesses and consumers more choice in selling and buying goods in imperial as well as metric units. According to the post’s author and various commentators, the consultation was a waste of time, a distraction from more pressing issues, and the questions were fiendishly biased. In fact, it sounded like the worst consultation ever. 

But it was overseen by one of my pin-ups, Jacob Rees-Mogg. I understand why some people don’t like him, but his intelligence and political nous are undoubted. I couldn’t believe he’d allow something that bad to go out in his name. I therefore read the consultation document from start to finish, not just the questions in isolation, or the mischief-making Guardian / Observer take on it, and I put the consultation objectives and questions into their proper context.

Here are some nuggets of context:

• The Government’s commitment to review the current law on units of measurement was announced as part of its plans to capitalise on the benefits of Brexit. 
• In other words, the Government said they’d review this law and they’re doing it. Respect! (if a little surprised.)

• The review follows on from a recommendation made by the Taskforce on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform, which engaged with over 150 entrepreneurs, businesses, trade bodies, academics, thinktanks and other experts, to come up with ways to make a material difference to the UK’s economic growth, competitiveness and productivity now that we are no longer shackled to the EU regulatory balls (and chains). One recommendation was to amend the Weights and Measures Act 1985 to allow traders to use imperial measures without metric equivalents.
• In other words, the Government is following advice from its advisers. Respect!! (and still surprised.)

• The purpose of the review is to identify how the Government can give more choice to businesses and consumers over the units of measurement they use for trade, without the threat of punishment that was an overly prescriptive and punitive EU diktat.
• In other words, the aim is to provide more choice, not less or the same or replacements, i.e. they’re thinking about adding imperial units to metric, not replacing metrics.

• The Government recognises that there will be people in the UK who have no experience of imperial measurements.
• In other words, it would be daft to legislate to remove metric units.

• This consultation has been carried out in accordance with the Government’s Consultation Principles.
• I’m assuming these are acceptable because I haven’t heard otherwise.

One consultation question that alarmed some commentators was: “If you [consumers] had a choice, would you want to purchase items: i) in imperial units ii) in imperial units alongside a metric equivalent?” 

Horror was prompted by the lack of an option to purchase items in just metric units, or metrics alongside imperial equivalents. I thought the same at first, but then the penny dropped - it wasn't an either / or question, and it’s already legal to sell and buy items in metric units, which isn't going to change. Respondents could answer “no” to the above question(s), and this would trigger a preference for the status quo, i.e. continuing with just metric units. If an additional question had been asked, do you want to buy goods in metric units, and you answered no, the Government wouldn’t change the law to accommodate you so why would they bother asking the question?

Indeed, another question directed at businesses was, “What would be the consequences of your business having the freedom to sell products in imperial measures, if you wished?” (My emphases.) Businesses could respond that they're not interested and the current law works just fine. If consumers are also not bothered about imperial units, there's no need for the Government to press ahead with amending the legislation, but at least they gave the people a chance to have their say. Or, if there was support for a change in the law, it would be changed so that businesses, in line with their customers’ preferences, could choose to use imperial units as well as or instead of metrics, or not.

It’s all about economic growth and freedom of choice for both businesses and consumers, not turning back the clock for the sake of it. The questions aren’t biased; there’s no need for them to be. The Government doesn’t want to engineer people to have to revert to just imperial units. They just want to add imperial units to the mix of choices, if that’s what the people want.

There's no love lost between me and Government / Local Authority consultations from all political parties. I've lambasted many of them for their flaws, including those for the National Planning Policy Framework, Airport Expansion, Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Development Plans - the list goes on. 

But they all have one thing in common with the few I have defended: I've read them all from start to finish, including key supporting documentation.