§ Lord Graham of Edmontonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are satisfied with the arrangements to ensure that imported foreign goods, especially electrical plugs, switches and sockets, are not so designed as to be imitations of British products.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Lucas of Chilworth)Under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, the importation of goods bearing a false indication of the place of manufacture is prohibited, and also under this Act, where notice is given to HM Customs and Excise by the trade mark owner, imported goods improperly bearing a registered trade mark are liable to forfeiture under the Customs & Excise Management Act 1979. Protection against illegal copying or exploitation of products is also provided by copyrights, designs, and patent laws. There are in addition regulations, already in force or planned, which prohibit the marketing of unsafe electrical goods. The combined use of these remedies provides a broad measure of protection.