XN000022-1990-02-28 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1990

10

LEGISLATION ON TOY SAFETY PLANNED

ACCEPTED

A

A WORKING GROUP SET UP BY THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONCLUDED AFTER COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW THAT INTERNATIONALLY

STANDARDS SHOULD BE PRESCRIBED BY LEGISLATION FOR TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS OFFERED FOR SALE IN HONG KONG.

JACOBS,

TO A

SAID THIS QUESTION

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PIERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN REPLY FROM THE HON MIRIAM LAU.

A

"THE WORKING GROUP IS FINALISING ITS DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE

TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS THE NEXT SAFETY BILL INTO THIS COUNCIL DURING

SESSION, SIR PIERS

SAID.

WHILE NOTING THAT TOYS FOR SALE IN HONG KONG WERE NOT SUBJECT

SIR TO ANY SPECIFIC SAFETY CONTROL,

PIERS SAID THE ADMINISTRATION RECOGNISED THAT IN

ABSENCE OF CONTROL, THE PUBLIC COULD BE EXPOSED TO UNSAFE TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.

THE

HE SAID THE WORKING GROUPS, COMPRISING GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY

то CONSIDER REPRESENTATIVES, WAS THEREFORE SET UP IN APRIL 1988

THE NEED FOR MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS FOR TOYS AND CHILDREN'S OFFERED FOR SALE IN HONG KONG.

PRODUCTS

WERE

SIR PIERS SAID MOST OF THE TOYS FOR SALE IN HONG KONG WHETHER IMPORTED OR LOCALLY MADE, WERE MANUFACTURED TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED SAFETY STANDARDS, SINCE VERY OFTEN, THE SAME PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR SALE IN

WHERE COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY STANDARDS WAS REQUIRED.

OTHER MARKETS

"AS PART OF ITS REGULAR MONITORING PROGRAMME, THE CONSUMER BE OF HIGH RISK COUNCIL CONDUCTS TESTING OF PRODUCTS CONSIDERED TO AND THE RESULTS ARE WIDELY

TOYS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS

PROGRAMME.

PUBLICISED.

"IN ADDITION, EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS HAVE BEEN MOUNTED TO CONSUMER AWARENESS REGARDING THE SAFETY ASPECT IN THE CHOICE FOR CHILDREN, HE SAID.

||

PROMOTE

OF TOYS

OF

то THE UNSAFE

SIR PIERS SAID THERE WERE NO SEPARATE STATISTICS AS NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO SUSTAINED INJURIES THROUGH THE TOYS,

USE

THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY THE CONSUMER COUNCIL CONCERNING TOY SAFETY WAS 39 IN 1987, 26 IN 1988 AND 33 IN 1989.

HOWEVER, REPRESENT ACTUAL CASES OF COMPLAINTS CONCERNED THE POTENTIAL

"THESE FIGURES DO NOT,

MAJORITY OF INJURY, SINCE THE DANGERS OF UNSAFE TOYS, HE SAID.

"I

Q

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