Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Weights and Measures (Prescribed Stamp) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 and shall come into operation on 25th March 2002.

Amendment of the Weights and Measures (Prescribed Stamp) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1969

2.  The Weights and Measures (Prescribed Stamp) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1969(3) shall be amended as follows:

(a)in regulation 2—

(i)for the word “inspectors” there shall be substituted “any person authorised by or under Article 9 of the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981”; and

(ii)in paragraph (a) for the words “earthenware or enamelled metal,” there shall be substituted the words “earthenware, enamelled metal or plastic,”;

(b)in sub-paragraph (ii) of Schedule 1 and sub-paragraph (iii) of Schedule 2 for the word “inspector” there shall be substituted “person authorised by or under Article 9 of the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Weights and Measures (Prescribed Stamp) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1969. Those Regulations prescribe the stamp for the stamping of weighing and measuring equipment which has been passed as fit for use for trade for use by certain persons.

The principal changes are:

(a)that certain persons who are not inspectors of weights and measures may now be authorised to use the stamp; and

(b)the stamp used may now be made of plastic as well as glass, earthenware or enamelled metal.

The Regulations have been notified to the European Commission in draft pursuant to Directive 98/34/EC (O.J. No. L204, 21.7.1998, p. 37) as amended by Directive 98/48/EC (O.J. No. L217, 5.8.1998, p. 18) which lays down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations.