§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment the Government have made of the progress of British construction companies in meeting the requirements for CE marks to be awarded.
§ Mr. BaldryI have been asked to reply.
CE marks will be awarded within the framework of the EC construction products directive. They will be based on approved European technical specifications. It will he some time before these specifications are written. A recent sample survey by the Building Research Establishment has indicated that United Kingdom manufacturers are well placed to meet the procedures likely to be followed for CE marking. The Department is in close contact with the industry's representative organisations to ensure the developing requirements of the construction products directive are understood.