§ Mrs. Bridget PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to impose stricter controls in respect of marketing claims that products are environmentally friendly. [22264]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Government are at present considering a report on the existing controls, including an assessment of possible changes, which was commissioned from the National Consumer Council and published by the council earlier this month. My Department has at the same time produced a document outlining the Government's intended strategy across the whole area of information for consumers about the environmental properties of products. This strategy paper addresses the question of controls over marketing claims made by manufacturers and has been circulated to interested organisations for comment. I am placing copies of the paper in the Libraries of the House.
The Government believe that it would be in the interests both of consumers and of manufacturers for there to be clear ground rules about the terms in which environmental claims on products are expressed. We therefore plan to encourage the formulation of a code of practice for the making of such claims. The Government's preference is to make progress in this area by stimulating the market to work better, rather than by adding to regulation. We will nevertheless consider the case put 536W forward by the National Consumer Council for forms of statutory backing to support a code of practice.