AIRTO, the Association of Innovation, Research & Technology Organisations, on behalf of its members, has prepared this written response to the consultation for the UK Product Safety Review.
AIRTO represents the UK’s extensive Innovation, Research and Technology (IRT) sector, which employs 57,000 highly skilled people, has a combined annual turnover of £6.9Bn and contributes £34Bn to UK GDP. Organisations in this critical sector work with industry, government and academia to promote and implement innovation, and provide technical solutions to challenges and crises. The IRT sector is a key partner for industry in delivering the support needed for innovation driven economic growth. Some of AIRTO’s member organisations are UK Conformity Assessment Bodies.
This government consultation sets out a new and more proportionate approach to ‘smarter’ regulation in the UK, regulating only when necessary and directly focused on potential hazards and harm, whilst ensuring accountability throughout the supply chain. AIRTO has responded to the aspects of the consultation that pertain specifically to the role of UK Conformity Assessment Bodies which are responsible for providing assurance that that specified expectations are being met in the manner specified or claimed e.g., as applied a product or technical service. Conformity assessment activities include activities such as testing, inspection and certification. In the UK, Conformity Assessment Bodies are accredited by UKAS (the United Kingdom Accreditation Service), which the sole government recognised national accreditation body, and of which AIRTO is a member.
