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Electric Plugs

Volume 930: debated on Tuesday 19 April 1977

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asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, in the light of the fact that the EEC is discussing the introduction of a new type of electric plug on a universal basis throughout the Community, without a fuse, what would be the estimated cost for the introduction of such electrical fittings into Great Britain generally and Government and local government offices and establishments in particular.

Any proposals the Commission of the European Communities may put forward for the agreement of member States on a new system of electrical plugs and socket-outlets are likely to be based on voluntary international standards on which the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is at present seeking the agreement of its 42 member countries. If this type of IEC system were introduced in the United Kingdom additional costs both generally and for Government and local government offices and establishments would depend heavily on the period involved and the manner of implementation. These costs cannot usefully be estimated at present, but would be minimised by an evolutionary introduction over a very long transitional period; there would then be no need to change existing serviceable installations.