Product Safety and Metrology (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2022 Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Lord Lennie
Main Page: Lord Lennie (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Lennie's debates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Product Safety and Metrology (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2022
Lord Lennie Excerpts(1 year, 5 months ago)
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Lord Lennie (Lab)
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his detailed introduction to this instrument, the main objective of which is to provide businesses with additional time to transition to the post-exit independent UK conformity assessment, the UKCA. As has been said, the UKCA is a conformity mark that indicates conformity with the applicable requirements for products sold within GB.
The purpose of the instrument, without compromising on safety or consumer and environmental protection, is to correct a deficiency arising from EU exit by preventing immediate cost increases and burdens on businesses, which the Minister set out. It will ensure that businesses continue to be provided with flexibility and choice on how they comply with product regulations. The instrument’s provisions will also prevent potential temporary and short-term market and supply chain disruption that may have occurred at the start of 2023 if the recognition of products meeting EU requirements and markings came to an end at the end of December 2022.
We support the instrument overall, but I have some questions in response to the provisions that the Minister set out. First, this is the second extension and it is significantly longer than the first one. What are the Government getting wrong? Is it entirely down to cost of living and supply chain challenges? How sure are they that this will be the last time? If they are not, what needs to change for there not to be another extension?
On the second set of provisions that the Minister set out, the instrument provides for where a manufacturer or other relevant persons has undertaken steps under EU conformity assessment procedures. This applies only as long as the certificate is valid or until 31 December 2027. This seems sensible and the benefits of reduced costs are self-evident, but does it come with any risk? If so, are the Government taking any steps to mitigate this risk? If not, why not just carry over everything? Why is that date specified?