§ 45. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Minister of Labour if he has now received an assurance that the rubber in Japanese tyres imported into this country has not been compounded with carcinogenic antioxidants.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsWe have received an assurance through the Japanese Embassy that the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers' Association, which represents all Japanese tyre manufacturers, has decided that none of the known carcinogens will be used in future.
§ Mrs. ButlerI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does she realise that it was last September when Questions were first asked about these tyres, 1 million of which were due to be imported into this country in the following twelve months? If any action had had to be taken, the information would have come too late to be effective. Could she look at the machinery for obtaining information on possibly hazardous substances to ensure that such delays do not occur again?
§ Mrs. WilliamsWe are certainly grateful to my hon. Friend for her persistence in raising this topic. She might be interested to know that we are at present considering a draft Order in Council which will ban not only the import of carcinogenic substances themselves but all manufactured goods containing such substances.