10 JUNE 1978, Page 18

Metric madness

Sir: Readers will realise, as apparently Lawrence Hills does not, that Government does not control measurement system used in books: Mr Hills's books can use imperial as long as he can find a sale for them that way.

Laws dealing with metrication have been made in the normal democratic way. The Weights and Measures Act (1976) gives Parliament power to terminate imperial weights and measures in trade. It was not opposed, though it was debated in both Houses. Orders, under the Act, which cut off the use of imperial for a range of prepacked goods have also been debated in Parliament and have passed without opposition. They have been made only after timetables for completing the changeover had been drawn up by the industry and trade organisation concerned. F. Lacey Director, Metrication Board, 22 Kingsway, London WC2