HC Deb 08 June 1982 vol 25 cc1-2W
Mr. Murphy

asked the Minister for Trade what policy his Department proposes to raise the status of standards in the United Kingdom in order to strengthen the competitiveness of United Kingdom products both at home and in world markets.

Mr. Peter Rees

The Government are convinced that standards, supported by quality assurance, have a central role to play in the international competitiveness of British industry. Good standards that reflect the requirements of the international market place encourage the application of sound technologies. They help firms to achieve the levels of quality reliability and safety in design and manufacture which increasingly are a prerequisite of successful competition in world markets. By eliminating unnecessary variety, they can reduce manufacturing cost and increase productivity, keeping our prices keen.

A strong standards system does not emerge of its own accord. Nor is it just a matter of creating the right

  1. (d) An amendment dated 16 April 1982 to the open general trans-shipment licence of 19 March 1979
    1. (a) to freeze Argentine financial assets in the United Kingdom;
    2. (b) to control the import of goods from Argentina;
    3. (c) to control the export of arms and strategic goods to Argentina; and
    4. (d) to control the trans-shipment of Argentine goods to the United Kingdom.