Local Euro MP campaigns against shrinking rocking horses (Diana Wallis MEP)

Diana Wallis MEP <info@dianawallismep.org.uk>

Local Euro MP campaigns against shrinking rocking horses

December 22, 2003 12:00 AM

Local Euro MP, Diana Wallis, is calling on a British toy safety committee to ensure rocking horses will not be replaced with miniature pony sized versions.

There are minimum EU safety standards for toys sold in Europe but there is no reference to heights and the details are left to national standards organisations. Now new guidelines for the British Standards Institution (BSI) state that the safe height for activity toys is no more than 60 cm, too low for traditional rocking horses.

The Liberal Democrat MEP has learnt from local craftsmen that the most popular size of rocking horse for children aged 3 to 10 measures at least 80cm from floor to saddle. Now Diana Wallis has called on the BSI to ensure that the rules are changed to take account of reality.

Ms. Wallis said: "Of course children need to be protected from dangerous toys and there is widespread agreement that the EU safety rules make good sense, especially when applied to toys being imported from places like China. But the way in which the law is being interpreted by standards bodies is inappropriate in this case."

"Some newspapers have seized on this once again to criticise 'Europe' about details for which no EU politician or official can be fairly blamed."

"The safety rules should ensure high standards without making it impossible for traditional rocking horses to survive. Even if the rules are not changed, manufacturers can avoid complying with them by describing their horses as 'collectors items'. However, the British craftsmen involved want to ensure that a tradition dating back to the 17th century to give pleasure to children for another 400 years at least."