Imported Toys (Safety) (Hansard, 3 July 1997)

§ 24. Mr. Paice
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what actions she is taking to improve the safety of imported toys. [5228]

§ Mr. Nigel Griffiths
The safety of all toys is controlled by the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995, which set comprehensive safety standards. Trading standards officers have the necessary powers to take appropriate action if they consider a toy to be unsafe.

§ Mr. Paice
I thank the Minister for that response, which confirms the written answer that he gave me earlier this week.

§ Mr. Griffiths
That is helpful.

§ Mr. Paice
It is indeed helpful, and somewhat surprising. Does the Minister recall that, earlier this year, when he was on the Opposition Benches, he issued a press release condemning the standards of imported toys and calling for radical changes? Why does he say something different in government from what he said in opposition?

§ Mr. Griffiths
Because the first people I had into the Department of Trade and Industry after I became a Minister were representatives of trading standards officers. We sat down with the Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Trading Standards, which has agreed on the powers that it needs to take action. We have backed up what we wanted in opposition by what we are doing in government. Conservative Members will be interested to hear that I have also had dialogue at the Department with representatives of the leading retailers—the four major supermarkets—who told me that they had never been in the Department before because they were never invited by that lot over there.

§ Mr. Pike
Is it not a fact that, this Christmas, parents will welcome the steps that have been taken to reduce the risk of dangerous toys being imported? Year after year, hon. Members have had complaints from parents about the danger posed by those toys.

§ Mr. Griffiths
Absolutely. As my hon. Friend knows, I have worked closely with British toy and hobby manufacturers and other British manufacturers and importers. I intend to issue advice to consumers on buying appropriate and safe toys in time for the Christmas toy-buying season this year.