§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recommendations of the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale in the last five years have(a) been and (b) not been implemented. [123450]
§ Dr. HowellsIn the last five years the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML) has published 31 Recommendations. Of these, 17 deal with measuring instruments which fall within my responsibilities. OIML Recommendations are used as the basis for legislation wherever practicable. The situation on implementation is set out in the table.
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Number Title Implementation R31 Diaphragm gas meters None. Council Directive 71/318/EEC as amended has not been brought into line with R31. The Directive has been implemented by SI 1988/296 R49 Water meters intended for the metering of cold water Implementation at the planning stage R50 -1 and -2 Continuous totalizing automatic weighing instruments (Belt weighers). Part 1: Metrological and Technical requirements—Tests; Part 2: Test report format Draft legislation in preparation R51 -1 Automatic catchweighing instruments. Part 1: Metrological and technical requirements—Tests Draft Regulations sent out for comments on 28 April 2000.(These only cover catchweighers and not checkweighers andweight-graders, on which there is no UK legislation) R60 Metrological regulation for load cells No separate UK legislation. These are components of non-automatic weighing instruments and automatic weighing instruments R61 -1 Automatic gravimetric filling instruments. Part 1: Metrological and technical requirements - Tests Implemented by SI 2000/388 R79 Labelling requirements for prepackaged products(including prohibiting misleading packaging practices) None. Council Directives 75/106/EEC and 76/211/EEC as amended have not been brought into line with R79. The Directives have been implemented by SI 1986/2049 as amended R81 Dynamic measuring devices and systems for cryogenic liquids (including tables of density for liquid argon, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen) No UK legislation R85 Automatic level gauges for measuring the level of liquid in fixed storage tanks No UK legislation R106 -1 Automatic rail-weighbridges. Part 1: Metrological and technical requirements—Tests Draft legislation in preparation R107 -1 Discontinuous totalizing automatic weighing instruments (totalizing hopper weighers). Part 1: Metrological and technical requirements—Tests Implemented by SI 1996/797 R117/R118 R117 Measuring systems for liquids other than water. R118 Testing procedures and test report format for pattern evaluation of fuel dispensers for motor vehicles Implemented by SI 1995/1014 as amended by 1998/2218 R119 Pipe provers for testing measuring systems for liquids other than water No UK legislation R120 Standard capacity measures for testing measuring systems for liquids other than water Not yet considered R125 Measuring systems for the mass of liquids in tanks No UK legislation R129 Multi-dimensional measuring instruments No UK legislation
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was spent in each of the last five years(a) subscribing to and (b) supporting the UK's committee representatives on the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale. [123451]
§ Dr. HowellsThe UK pays an annual subscription to the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale (OIML). In the last five years the subscriptions paid have been as follows:
Year £ 1995 35,646 1996 40,293 1997 36,118 1998 33,004 1999 30,371 Support for UK participation in the committees of OIML comes from a number of Government departments and other organisations (including industry associations). It is not therefore possible to quantify the cost of this support.
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§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the policy of the Government towards the work of the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale. [123452]
§ Dr. HowellsThe United Kingdom is one of more than 100 countries participating in the work of the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale (OIML). The Government support the work of this important organisation, which contributes to the removal of barriers to trade by publishing technical recommendations in the form of draft model laws and through its system of OIML certificates. These help manufacturers of measuring instruments to obtain approval for their products in OIML member countries. The UK participates in those areas of OIML's work where we have a specific interest.