Textile Products (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Wednesday 21st November 2018 Grand Committee

The regulations are a sensible and necessary use of the powers of the EU withdrawal Act that will ensure that our consumer law continues to function effectively on exit day. I commend the regulations to the Committee.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab)]

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his introduction and for explaining the regulations so well. In light of the fact that the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has not drawn attention to any matter relating to these regulations for the House to give them special attention, I agree that it is appropriate to consider them in Grand Committee.

[Baroness Byford (Con)]

My Lords, I support my noble friend in his introduction of this important legislation. As someone whose family was in the textile business for many years, I know that the definition of what makes up the product is hugely important. Labelling is key for people when they want to buy, particularly those with allergies. With modern technology, such a cross-section of mixtures is used in clothing, and so I welcome the statutory instrument. In the old days, there was botany wool, lamb’s wool, Angora and cashmere and that was it. Today, a multiplicity of ingredients is used in textile production.

I thank the Minister for introducing the instrument. I understand that it does not create extra responsibilities or burdens for the industry, but will allow us to move forward. In future, labelling will be in English, which is an additional bonus to those of us who used to export 50% of what we produced. I have great pleasure in supporting this statutory instrument.