§ 34. Mr. Gregorythe Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why primary agricultural products are to be excluded from the proposed legislation on product liability.
§ Mr. HowardThe Directive on product liability was conceived as a measure directed at manufactured or processed goods. It would not be appropriate to extend it to primary, unprocessed agricultural products whose characteristics are different in many ways from industrially produced goods. Primary agricultural products are particularly susceptible to environmental factors outside the farmer's control. Moreover, the mixing of large quantities of bulk agricultural supplies at trade markets would in any event make it very difficult to trace a particular product back to the farmer or other primary producer.
533W
§ 45. Mr. Gerald Howarthasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from industry, following his statement of 1 July, Official Report, column 465, on product liability.
§ Mr. HowardSince the statement two representations have been received from hon. Members enclosing earlier letters from constituents.
§ 48. Mr. Thorntonthe Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what provision he intends to make in the proposed legislation on product liability for compensation for injury or damage caused to consumers by poor quality imported goods.
§ Mr. HowardLegislation to implement the EC directive on product liability will make manufacturers and importers of products from outside the Community liable, on an equal footing, for damage caused by defective products they put into circulation. The directive provides that, without prejudice to the liability of a producer, any person who imports into the Community shall be deemed to be a producer.
54. Mr. Andy Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has yet defined the meaning of misuse to be applied to the proposed legislation implementing the European Community directive on product liability.
§ Mr. HowardThe implementing legislation has not been drafted, so I cannot yet say precisely what words will be proposed. But we intend to make clear that the safety to be expected of a product should be determined by taking into account the use to which it would be reasonable to expect that the product would be put.
§ Mr. Greg Knightasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to the dates on which each member country of the European Economic Community intends to incorporate the EEC directive on product liability into its domestic law.
§ Mr. HowardAll states are required to have their implementing legislation in force by July 1988. The precise dates on which they will implement the directive will vary slightly, but it is unlikely that many member states will have their measures in force much before then.