§ Baroness HORNSBY-SMITHasked Her Majesty's Government:
778WAWhich of the Member States of the EEC impose penalties for non-compliance with regulations for consumer protection; and which States have a system of local enforcement officers comparable to the Weights and Measures Inspectorates in the United Kingdom.
Lord WALLACE of COSLANYBreaches of consumer protection legislation attract penalties in all Member States. The nature of the penalty however varies according to the judicial system in the country concerned and its severity according to the perceived enormity of the offence. Statutory penalties include fines, seizure of goods, or imprisonment for more serious offences. In other cases, tribunals or courts are empowered to serve injunctions or impose economic sanctions on offending traders, or to determine compensation.
The United Kingdom system of local government enforcement has no parallel anywhere else in the Community.
House adjourned at twenty-four minutes past seven o'clock.