The section states:
The Authority may grant to a person a licence to use, subject to such conditions as may be expressed in the licence, a standard mark in connection with any commodity, process or practice for which there is a standard specification.
What parameters are laid down to guarantee the granting of such a licence to use a mark? What procedures are in operation?
The existing practice, as I understand it, is that such a licence is granted as it stands. I presume that the grantor has to be satisfied about the standards being met and so on. Again, section 21(1) is no more than the enshrining of an existing practice.
Why is it included?
This Bill is comprehensive. All of the functions being incorporated in this body are represented or included in this legislation.
This section also gives power to the Authority to revoke this licence——
It still has the power to revoke it.
——should the person or body prove not worthy to have obtained that licence. How regular and rigorous are the monitoring procedures?
I am not familiar with the day to day operation, but my understanding is that they are quite rigorous. The thrust of work in the future may be in that area more than some areas which preoccupy the staff at present. For example, the explosion in the area of registration to ISO9000 will not go on indefinitely but the monitoring will go on at a more intensive pace. At the moment that kind of inspection might go on two or three times a year.
I have done much work on this Bill and I have a particular matter in mind on that question. The Minister said the inspections would be two or three times a year.
Do the inspections follow an invitation or are they on the spot?
Either can obtain, but they are usually by agreement. We do not kick in the door and tell people that we are there to see if they are living up to the standards approved three months previous.
People have time to get the place polished up?
It is like the cigire coming.
Yes.
