§ Mr. MacGregorasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when decisions are likely to be taken on the new international standard design of plugs and sockets which is being discussed within the International Electrotechnical Commission so far as the United Kingdom is concerned; whether the proposals will have to be discussed in Parliament prior to any final decisions; and what the current estimate is for the costs of the introduction of such a system in the United Kingdom and over what period.
§ Mr. John FraserInternational Electrochemical Commission (IEC) proposals for a new international standard design of plugs and sockets, when they are received in the United Kingdom, will require a decision within six months on whether or not the United Kingdom supports the proposals. The IEC will subsequently decide, depending on the outcome of the overall response from member countries, to publish or otherwise a voluntary international standard. These 613W proposals do not have to be discussed in Parliament prior to the above decisions, nor are the decisions binding.
Costs of introducing such a system in the United Kingdom would depend heavily on the period involved and the manner of implementation and until these issues are clearer cannot usefully be estimated.