§ 6. Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to comply with European Economic Community draft directive 1202 on fire resistance tests.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Sir George Young)Commission document 1202 contained simply a preliminary draft directive. Since then work has been undertaken by the Commission to develop the proposals further. We shall be consulting industry when a formal proposal is made as a further step in the Community's programme for removing barriers to trade.
§ Mr. AshdownThe Minister will know that the Government's publicly stated objective, while they hold the presidency of the EEC, is to remove technical barriers to trade. As the Minister rightly says, draft directive 1202 does that by absolving manufacturers and exporters from having a second fire text. We all understand why the fire laboratories, which make a fat living from this testing, should want to drag their feet, but why are the Minister and the Government dragging their feet?
§ Sir George YoungNeither the Minister nor the Government are dragging their feet. The high standards in Britain are maintained through the building regulations. We are waiting for the Commission to follow up its draft directive with firm proposals, and the moment that it does that we shall respond.