§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will undertake an inquiry into the practice of companies importing manufactured ceramic products from outside the EU, decorating such products and adding to them a made in England back stamp; and if he will make a statement. [151544]
§ Ms HewittIt is already a criminal offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 for a person in the course of a trade or business to apply false or misleading statements to goods, including statements about the origin of those goods. For the purposes of the Act goods are deemed to have been manufactured or produced in the country in which they last underwent a treatment or process resulting in a substantial change. The Act is enforced by the local authorities' trading standards service and any instances of false or misleading back-stamping should be brought to their attention.