§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has received on the draft European standard for air conditioning equipment (EN 378); and if he will make a statement; [153619]
(2) on what date he proposes to withdraw the British Standard in respect of air conditioning equipment; and if he will make a statement on the regulation that will replace it; [153620]
(3) what representations he has received, and from which bodies, supporting the withdrawal of the British Standard for air conditioning equipment; [153621]
(4) what representations he has received on the continued use of hydrocarbons in air conditioning equipment; and if he will make a statement. [153623]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonEN 378 is a technical specification for refrigerating systems and heat pumps (which can be used in some air conditioning equipment), dealing with the safety and environmental aspects. The standard allows for hydrocarbons, which are flammable, being used as a refrigerant in certain circumstances instead of the usual hydrofluorocarbons, which are inert.
My Department received just one representation concerning the use of hydrocarbons as a refrigerant being included in this standard. However, responsibility for this standard, and resolving any technical issues concerned including safety ones, falls to the British Standards Institution (BSI), which is independent of Government.
BSI is the United Kingdom member of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) which developed the European standard EN 378. It carries out, as part of its normal procedures, public consultations on draft ENs. Once a draft EN is adopted by CEN, the national standards bodies who are its members withdraw any conflicting national standards and publish the European one. In this instance, I understand that EN 378 was adopted by CEN last year and then published by BSI as BS EN 378.
Any technical questions relating to, or issues of interpretation of, the standard should therefore be taken up with BSI.