§ 24. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review his Department's criteria for qualification for the generic description "British Made"; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FletcherI see no need at present to change the criteria in section 36 of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.
§ Mr. AdleyIs it not a fact that certain American-owned car manufacturers, such as Ford and General Motors, producing cars in West Germany, Belgium or Spain, still manage to give the impression that they are selling British cars to British people in this country, whereas, for example, a firm such as Volvo has a substantial United Kingdom content in its cars but they are known as foreign. Should we not be more accurate with the descriptions issued under the guidance laid down by my hon. Friend's Department?
§ Mr. FletcherThe Trade Descriptions Act 1972 requires most imported goods, including imported cars, to bear a conspicuous indication of their country of origin if they are supplied under a United Kingdom name or mark. The Act's purpose is to prevent consumers from being misled into assuming that imported goods bearing British names are manufactured in this country.