TNAG-1724-FCO40-2437-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 34

Sale of unsafe producté

Question No. 5

Reply by the Hon. N.W.H. Macleod, JP, Secretary for Trade and Industry,

ОВЕ,

to a question by the Hon. Mrs. Selina CHOW

in Legislative Council on 10 February 1988

5. MRS. CHOW asked:

Question

JP

Will Government inform this Council whether it has plans for the introduction of comprehensive legislative control over the sale of unsafe products which do not fall under categories controlled by existing legislation?

This reveals that the aim should be to complement existing legislation by providing a way of dealing with other products not already covered by specific legislation.

SECRETARY FOR TRADE

AND INDUSTRY:

Sir,

lesc

Sc

As Mrs. Chow rightly recognises, there is already

covering the sale of

legislation

products, such

as

that relating

potentially

unsafe

to poisons and

and agricultural

pharmaceutical goods, dangerous drugs,

pesticides.

Our policy has been to introduce further

specific legislation to cover new areas whenever it is

considered that there is a need to protect the public.

Nevertheless, I think it is now worth considering

some detail the merits of introducing more comprehensive

legislation on consumer safety - a change of emphasis which

Owes something to the

rational

but persistent pressure

from Mrs. Chow and the Consumer Council. The potential

advantage of such legislation would be that we would be

able to react more quickly to any new threat to safety.

At the same time. I should warn that this is a complicated

matter that does need careful study before we can say

definitely that such legislation should be introduced,

and if so in what form.

To take matters forward, I am pleased to announce

that an inter-departmental working committee has been set

up to examine the matter, and will hold its first meeting

later this month.