§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government are doing to enforce the law forbidding the import of products of forced prison labour from China.
§ Sir John CopeI have been asked to reply.
The prohibition on the importation of foreign prison made goods is enforced by HM Customs and Excise. Under the provisions of the Foreign Prison-Made Goods Act 1897 the prohibition can only be enforced when evidence is supplied to customs proving the foreign prison-made origin of the goods. Customs has received no evidence to date which would prove import into the United Kingdom of specific goods made in Chinese prisons, but it is willing to act upon any adequate evidence supplied to it.