Environmental Management Systems

HC Deb 19 May 1992 vol 208 cc70-1W

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made to the development of the British Standards Institute BS-7750 on environmental management systems; and whether he has any plans to promote the standard at the next European Council as part of harmonisation procedures for the single European market.

Mr. Maclean

Officials from my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry have liaised closely with the British Standards Institute on the development of BS 7750, in particular to ensure its compatibility with the EC ecu-audit proposals.

Compliance with the standard is voluntary. I therefore have no plans to promote it at the Environment Council as part of the harmonisation procedures for the single European market. But as it is the first of its kind in the world, I would anticipate that it will be a benchmark for the development of future European and international standards.