§ Mr. Curryasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the adoption of a European Community Directive setting a mandatory range of sizes for knitting and rug yarns.
§ Mr. MaudeThe Council of Ministers adopted on 25 June a directive setting a mandatory range of sizes for knitting and rug yarns. This is a harmonisation measure which sets a simple range of sizes in which such yarns must be packed throughout the Community. The sizes which have been agreed are those which were suggested by the relevant EC trade association. They have the full support of United Kingdom manufactureres who have been pressing for the measure to be adopted at the earliest opportunity. It will also benefit consumers by allowing them to make easier value-for-money comparisons between sizes. The outcome of negotiations might have been called into question had the United Kingdom delayed adoption beyond 1 July, the date on which the Single European Act came into force. In these circumstances and given the wish of all other member states to see the 485W measure adopted as soon as possible, I judged that it was not in the United Kingdom's interest to continue to withhold agreement until the House had completed its consideration of the Commission's proposal. Although I regret that normal procedures were not completed on this occasion, I hope the House will understand the reasons why the Government agreed to the adoption of the directive.