Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the oral Answer of 8 January 2015, Official Report, columns 382-3, which organisations and businesses he consulted prior to adopting the Government's position of opposing the product safety and market surveillance package at the European Council; and if he will meet Steelite International to discuss mandatory country of origin marking.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ran a formal consultation on the Product Safety and Market Surveillance Package from 10 July 2013 to 4 September 2013. Details of the Consultation can be found on the following link to the Gov.UK website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/product-safety-and-market-surveillance-package-proposal-for-new-european-regulations

In response to the specific question about country of origin marking contained in the Consultation paper we received responses from a wide range of stakeholders including 25 trade associations, but only 2 of these indicated to us that they agreed with the proposed mandatory requirements for all consumer products to bear indication of origin marking

I would of course welcome any evidence Steelite International may have on the cost benefits of mandatory country of origin marking for consumer products and I will ask my officials to meet them to discuss this.