§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will introduce minimum quality standards, in defined price ranges, for imported footwear and textiles.
§ Mr. MaclennanThe British Standards Institution has the responsibility for producing national quality standards, conformity with which is generally voluntary. Although few national specifications exist for footwear and textile products, a growing range of standard test methods is available to help control quality and set performance levels. The code of practice currently being negotiated with footwear manufacturers and retailers by the Director General of Fair Trading should help to raise the level of quality of all footwear sold in this country.