Lord Hawkeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How the public can be expected to buy British-made motor cars when it is difficult to discover where cars sold under apparently British brand-names are in fact manufactured; and whether there is legislation requiring imported goods to be clearly marked with the country of origin.
§ The Secretary of State for Trade (Lord Cockfield)The Trade Descriptions Act 1972 requires all imports, including imported cars, to bear a conspicuous indication of their country of origin if they are supplied here under a United Kingdom name or mark, or under a marking likely to be taken for a United Kingdom name or mark. The origin marking requirements of the Trade Descriptions (Origin Marking) (Miscellaneous Goods) Order 1981 apply to imported and domestically produced goods in five sectors—textiles, clothing, footwear, cutlery and domestic electrical appliances. The operation of these requirements is currently under review.