Edinburgh jobs could be at risk

Local MP, Ian Murray, has challenged the Secretary of State for business Innovation and Skills on the Government’s proposals to remove the need for hallmarking.

During an evidence session of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee, Ian Murray MP expressed his disappointment that the removal of Hallmarking as part of the Government’s Red Tape Challenge would cost jobs at the Assay Office in Edinburgh.

Ian said:- “The Secretary of State clearly does not know the policy of his own Government with regards to Hallmarking.  The website clearly asks if Hallmarking should be scrapped, and that will cost Edinburgh jobs and a process that has been happening for centuries.  He really needs to sort this out.”

Ian has also back a recent Early Day Motion highlighting the issue:

“That this House believes it is in the best interests of consumers to maintain hallmarking as a statutory independent service carried out by the four assay offices, London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh in Scotland; notes that hallmarking is Britain’s oldest consumer protection practice and is paid for by the industry not the taxpayer; further notes that the 2010 review of hallmarking by the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation and a recent OFT investigation showed that hallmarking offered important protection to consumers; and therefore calls on the Government to remove hallmarking from the list of regulations which might be abolished under its Red Tape Challenge.”