§ Mr. Gorstasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what expenditure his Department contemplates incurring in co-operation with other national or international bodies with a view to technical standardisation or improvement.
§ Mr. EmeryThe Government have for many years made a grant-in-aid to the British Standards Institution. The maxi-90W mum provision authorised for the 1972–73 grant-in-aid to the British Standards Institution for the setting of standards is £1,082,000. This institution is the recognised body in the United Kingdom for the preparation and promulgation of national standards; it also represents the United Kingdom in international standards bodies. Many international organisations to which the Department contributes are involved to some extent with technical standardisation. Those in which the subject represents a significant activity are the following, noting in each case the financial provision for 1972–73:
£ Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation 193,000 International Bureau of Weights and Measures 42,600 International Organisation for Legal Metrology 3,000 Estimates of the same order of magnitude are contemplated as subventions for future years to the British Standards Institution and these other bodies.
§ Mr. Gorstasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department is solely responsible for representing the views and requirements of British industry in respect of international technical standardisation matters to the EEC Commission; whether it is normal practice within the EEC only for member Governments to deal with such matters directly with the Commission; and whether his Department will in future encourage trade associations to make submissions on these matters direct to the Commission.
§ Sir G. HoweIn preparing proposals for harmonising technical requirements under Article 100 of the Treaty of Rome, the Commission has the right to consult whom it wishes. It frequently consults the trade associations of the Community as well as the Governments concerned. My Department and the CBI have already made it clear that British trade associations may make submissions on these matters directly to the Commission. However, the ultimate decision on a harmonisation proposal rests with the Governments of the member States. It is therefore essential that trade associations continue to inform Departments of their views.