§ Baroness Burton of Coventryasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in elaboration of their reply to Baroness Burton of Coventry's Starred Question on 14th March (col. 227) they will inform the House of the contents of the statement made by Commissioner Clinton Davis on the work he intends to carry out regarding consumer policy and consumer protection and information.
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthIn his statement to the 11th February Internal Market/Consumer Affairs Council, Commissioner Clinton Davis emphasised the Commission's intention to give a new impetus to the Community's consumer protection programme while continuing to make strenuous efforts to open up the internal market. Mr. Clinton Davis is concerned to ensure that, while removing barriers to trade, the consumer is not put at risk from defective or dangerous products. He sees the Commission concentrating its efforts in three important fields: health, safety and safeguarding the consumer's economic interest.
The Commission, while seeking agreement on a number of outstanding proposals, intends to bring forward further measures in the summer, including a revision of the directive on food labelling, a draft directive on dangerous chemical preparations used in 863WA the household, and two implementing directives on toys covering toxological and electrical hazards. The statement also looked further ahead to proposals on consumer information and education, comparative price studies, an action programme to prevent accidents in the home and at leisure and further measures to protect the consumer's economic interest. For the further information of the House, I have placed a copy of the complete statement in the Library.