Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of potential effect of the EU’s proposed General Product Safety Regulation on creating a divergence in product safety between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

We have not made an assessment of potential divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK resulting from the EU’s proposed General Product Safety Regulation, though we continue to watch developments and listen to the issues raised. Any assessment will need to consider the final Regulation once agreed, as well as the outcome of Product Safety Review consultation as this will shape the Government’s approach for the rest of the UK.

Subject to the final EU Regulation we expect that, as is the case now, District Councils and other market surveillance authorities operating in Northern Ireland, including the Office for Product Safety and Standards, will enforce the product safety rules applicable in Northern Ireland.