Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to paragraph 27 of the White Paper, The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, Cm 9593, published on 12 July 2018, what steps the Government plans to take to maintain consumer standards for goods after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Voluntary standards are developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI), which is the UK member of the European standards organisations (ESOs). BSI is independent of the Government and the ESOs are independent of the EU.

Voluntary standards, including those for consumer goods, may be used to support regulations, and the adoption of a common rulebook would mean that the same standards are used in the UK and the EU, ensuring consumers are not confused by multiple standards for the same products.