§ 23. Mrs. McLaughlinasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to ensure that the formulae of all powders and liquids sold for temporary flame proofing of clothing must be shown on the bottle or packet.
§ Mrs. McLaughlinIs the Minister aware of the danger of allowing these packets to be issued containing substances of supposed flame-resisting qualities unless full explanation is available to the public, because in many cases if these formulae are used only once or twice the garments on which they are used become more dangerous if the use of the same formula is not continued?
§ Mr. ErrollI have considered this matter carefully. Apart from other considerations, publication of the formula by itself would not in fact help the housewife.
§ Mr. Marquandis the hon. Gentleman aware that one of the most widely advertised preparations of this kind consists very largely of boric acid and thus carries with it the risk of borax poisoning, particularly dangerous to infants? If he cannot introduce legislation, will he expedite the preparation of a British Standards Specification of flammability, so that housewives may know what they are really buying?
§ Mr. ErrollBorax does not appear as a poison in the Poisons List under the Pharmacy and Medicine Act, 1941. As regards standards of flammability, the British Standards Institution is pressing on with this important work as fast as it can.
§ Mr. MarquandMay I refer the hon. Gentleman to an article in the Lancet of 4th February, 1950, which does suggest that this preparation really is dangerous?
§ Mr. ErrollI have not seen the article. If the right hon. Gentleman would care to let me see a copy, I shall be glad to look into the matter.