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Funding of BSI and Standards Development
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Introduction |
STRD's work in this area covers
- the Government's general policy on matters relating to standards-making (but
not on individual standards); and
- the Government's relations with the British Standards Institution (BSI) and
its funding of BSI's standards development work, including support for
delegations representing the UK at overseas standards meetings and for consumer
representation in standards-making activities.
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| BSI |
BSI itself is an independent body, established by
Royal Charter in the 1920s, although its origins go back to 1901. Its HQ is at
Chiswick. Click here for more information to be found on
BSI's own website
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BSI and the DTI recognise that, whilst the process
of standards development facilitated by BSI in the UK is a voluntary activity,
there is a public interest in standardisation per se. A joint statement
of the public interest has been agreed between BSI and DTI: this paper is
available in English, French and German, and in both Word and Acrobat PDF
formats. Click on one of the links below to download your preferred version.
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A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between BSI and DTI was signed on 20 June 2002. The main changes from the
previous MoU include:
- incorporation of key points from the joint statement of the public interest
- recognition that BSI now has significant commercial businesses outside its
NSB functions, and focus on the relationship between the NSB and non-NSB sides.
In particular, this has meant defining a ‘ring-fence’ both in terms of the use
of public funds and in terms of the precedence of the NSB as a whole
- an indication of a willingness in principle to provide government support if
the NSB runs into major difficulties
- strengthening of the international and European context, including a
specific reference to standardisation policy developed by the Council of the EU
- clear encouragement to BSI to develop their standardisation business beyond
traditional ‘full’ standards in response to new technology, globalisation, etc,
coupling this with a specific obligation to avoid ‘new products’ spreading at
the expense of full standards in circumstances where the features of full
standards are still required.
The MoU provides a framework for BSI and the Government to meet the
challenges to the UK’s standards-making infrastructure.
The new MoU can be downloaded here as an Acrobat
PDF file  (220 kb) |
Funding |
The Government's funding of BSI standards work is provided by STRD in two main
ways:firstly as direct financial support to BSI which is linked to specific
deliverables including a prioritised work programme developed by the members of
BSI's technical committees responsible for the preparation of standards; and
secondly as schemes of assistance to those involved in the standards
preparation work.
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| Schemes |
- Assisted International Travel Scheme provides a contribution towards the
travel costs of the leaders of committee delegations to overseas standards
meetings
- Consultancy Drafting Scheme which allows the BSI technical committees to use
an outside expert to assist prepare the first draft of a standard that is needed
quickly
- Consumer Travel Expenses Fund which contributes to the travel costs of
consumer representatives in national and overseas standards committees
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As a condition on approval of funding of BSI and
standards-making activities in 2000-2001, the Secretary of State for Trade and
Industry requested that a study be carried out of the economic benefits of
standardisation, in particular from the perspective of the Government’s
financial support for standardisation. Professor Peter Swann, Manchester
Business School, was accordingly engaged to conduct this study, beginning with a
review of the literature in this particular field.
The report of his study may be found here. It is available in English, French
and German, and in both Word and Acrobat PDF formats. Click on one of the links
below to download your preferred version.
Following on Professor Swann's report, DTI, CBI and BSI recognised the need
to develop a National Standardisation Strategic Framework (NSSF). See
our NSSF webpage for further information.
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| Contacts |
Michèle Barker, STRD1, Department of Trade and
Industry, Bay 336, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SS. Tel: 020 7215
1568, fax: 020 7215 1529.
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