XN000022-1997-02-26 — Page 22

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During the examination of the Bills, the Bills Committee was concerned about the adequacy of accredited laboratory testing services for conducting tests on the thirteen specified children's products under the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance. Just then, the Honourable Fred Li and Mrs Selina Chow have also expressed their views on this matter. I wish to take this opportunity to advise this Council that it is entirely up to individual local laboratories to decide whether or not to apply for accreditation under the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS). All along, the Industry Department has been encouraging and assisting local laboratories to obtain accreditation. Currently, accredited laboratory testing services are available in either local or overseas laboratories for all the thirteen specified children's products. Accredited testing services for nine of them are available locally. Following the adoption of multiple safety standards for children's products, we believe that the number of laboratories that can provide accredited testing services will further increase. We will advise the concerned industry and trading community on the list of laboratories that can provide accredited testing services on those alternative safety standards adopted in the future. I can assure Honourable Members that the Administration will monitor the situation closely and work with the private sector to address any problem which may arise regarding the availability of accredited testing services.

Upon enactment of the Bills, we will table the necessary regulations in this Council for Members' approval by negative procedure. To give the industry and trade sufficient time to adjust, there will be a grace period of twelve months before the bilingual safety labelling requirement for consumer goods, toys and children's products comes into operation. Just then, the Honourable Mrs Selina Chow makes a very valuable suggestion and it is a hope about more publicity to be carried out by the administration. I am very willing to talk to the relevant parties including the trade organisations to see how there can be wider publicity on these bills so that within the grace period of 12 months, the manufacturers, importers and suppliers can all comply with the requirements of bilingual labelling.

Mr President, with these remarks, I commend the two Bills to Honourable Members.

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