To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has recently received from the textile industry in connection with BS 7750 on environmental management.
[holding answer 31 March 1993]: My hon. Friend has written to me about correspondence he has received from the textile industry on BS 7750. This is the only representation I have received.
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made in connection with the pilot programme relating to the introduction of the BSI standard 7750 for environmental management; how many companies participated in that programme; what success they have had in meeting the requirements; what form of accreditation they will receive on successful completion; and what estimate he has made of the costs which they have incurred in participating in the pilot programme;(2) by what authority, and through what mechanism, accreditation will be given to those companies which have successfully met the requirements of the BS 7750 standard for environmental management.
[holding answer 31 March 1993]: In issuing BS 7750 the BSI made clear that it would be reviewed following the completion of the pilot programme. That programme is not yet complete and BSI has not therefore made an assessment of how successful companies have been in applying it. I understand that some 230 companies are implementing the standard in the programme; participation is voluntary and no estimate is available of the costs to the participants. I will ask the chief executive of BSI to write to my hon. Friend when BSI has reached a considered view of the outcome of the programme.Companies may apply the standard and may contract a third party to certify that they have done so. My Department is considering whether it should set up a scheme to accredit such certifying bodies in relation to the revised version of BS 5570.