HC Deb 29 October 1984 vol 65 c783W
Mr. McCrindle

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he has any plans to amend the present discretionary provisions regarding powers of enforcement of the safety of goods; and if he will make a statement.

(2) if he will introduce legislation to place a general duty of safety on suppliers of goods; and if he will make a statement.

(3) if he will introduce legislation to require that imported goods are held at the point of entry, if they have not met British safety regulations and to require their alteration to meet these standards; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Fletcher

The White Paper on the Safety of Goods (Cmnd. 9302) includes proposals

  1. (i) to introduce a general duty on all suppliers to ensure that the goods they supply are safe in accordance with sound modern standards of safety; and
  2. (ii) to strengthen the powers of enforcement of legislation on the safety of goods. The enforcement authorities would, in certain circumstances, be enabled to seize unsafe goods at the point of entry into the United Kingdom, and provision would be made for Customs and Excise to cooperate to this end.

I am currently analysing the considerable number of responses to the White Paper, and hope to make a further statement in due course.