Member

I am pleased to confirm that, following discussions with the noble Lord, Lord Fox, the Government support this amendment and will lay the statement it requires. In addition to outlining the nature of consultation, the statement would also consider enforcement and sanctions, taking into consideration how marketplaces change. This statement, along with the code of conduct already published, will set out how, when and with whom the Government engage with on regulatory matters associated with product safety, including risk. The Secretary of State’s statement will set out the key consultation processes necessary before secondary legislation is laid before Parliament. The statement will be able to be updated as products and the risk they present evolve. We believe this amendment increases the transparency of our product regulation system, without unnecessarily binding our hands to an inflexible way in which to determine product risk.