§ Mr. SumbergTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the cost to manufacturers of household electrical equipment of requiring the fitting of electrical plugs to their products.
§ Mr. ButcherThe cost of fitting plugs to household electrical equipment is subject to many factors, the details558W of which will be known only to the manufacturers. No Government estimate has been made of such a proposal and were it to be done it would require a substantial input from the industry.
§ Mr. SumbergTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what regulations oblige the manufacturers of household electrical equipment to fit electric plugs as standard; what comparable regulations exist in other member states of the European Community; and what plans he has to ensure a standardisation of the regulations.
§ Mr. ButcherMany manufacturers of electrical equipment are marketing equipment with a fitted plug and the number s growing but there is no statutory requirement which would oblige manufacturers of household electrical equipment to fit electric plugs prior to sale.
There are no plans to impose such a requirement. The current legal position in other member states of the European Community is not at present available. There is no Community initiative to harmonise the national legislation governing the fitting of plugs to equipment.