§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what penalty he is considering introducing to ensure that importers of approved citizens band radio equipment comply with Home Office specifications;
383W(2) what arrangements the Government are making to ensure that imported citizens band radio equipment meets the specifications laid down by the Home Department.
§ Mr. RaisonThe manufacture or importation of 27 MHz. radio-telephonic equipment will be permitted only if it conforms to the relevant specification, and meets the interference limits laid down in regulations. Manufacture or importation of equipment which does not conform to the specification will constitute, as now, an offence under wireless telegraphy legislation; and imported equipment will be liable to seizure and forfeiture as prohibited goods under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. It will be open to the Home Secretary to issue a notice under section 12 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 banning the sale of equipment which fails to meet the prescribed interference standards.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will consider specifying in regulations governing the importation of citizens band radio equipment the application of manufacturers' serial numbers to the front of equipment and the application of such numbers at the point of manufacture as against at the point of distribution;
(2) whether specification approval marks to be applied to the front of approved citizens band radio equipment can be of a type which is included in the process of manufacture as against a type that can be applied at the distribution stage.
§ Mr. RaisonIn order to comply with the specifications issued by my Department equipment will need to carry a clear indication of its type number and name of manufacturer. A mark stamped or engraved on the front panel will indicate compliance with the relevant specification, and we would expect this marking to be carried out at the time of manufacture.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether arrangements being made to ensure that imported citizens band radio equipment meets specifications laid down by the Home Department include regular sample inspection procedures of import shipments at the point of entry.
§ Mr. RaisonIt would not be feasible to arrange regular technical inspections. However, this equipment will be subject to normal Customs examination procedures and if there were grounds to suspect that equipment marked as complying with the Home Office specification did not in fact meet it, the goods would be detained pending technical inspection.