INFLAMMABLE NIGHTWEAR (Hansard, 23 February 1966)

§ LORD AUCKLAND
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD STONHAM)
My Lords, 67 children under the age of 15 died from clothing burns of all kinds during the 15 month period October 1, 1964, to December 31, 1965. In 15 of these cases the garment was identified as a nightdress. I regret that the information sought in the second part of the Question is not available, but we know from Press reports that there have been a number of successful prosecutions.

§ LORD AUCKLAND
My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply may I ask him, first, whether garments other than nightdresses were involved in these accidents, and if so, how many? Secondly, is any kind of working party being set up to inquire into these accidents? Thirdly, do these figures represent an improvement on the figures prior to the introduction of the regulations; and, fourthly, will the noble Lord consider extending these regulations to cover elderly people?

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, with regard to garments other than nightdresses, the noble Lord will appreciate that we are dependent upon coroners' reports. I have already said that 15 of the fatalities occurred through garments described as nightdresses. There were 4 to which coroners referred as "nightwear". In the remaining accidents the garment was not specified, but we know that in the main it must have been girls' clothing because of the 67 children who died, 52 were girls.
With regard to a Working Party, the noble Lord is doubtless aware that a Working Party was set up by my right honourable friend, Sir Frank Soskice. It has held a number of meeting and we are hoping for an interim report fairly soon. That Working Party is considering other children's garments, nightwear for the elderly and the possibility of regulations for flammable material sold in the piece for the purpose of making night garments.
As to the effect of the regulations, we have no figures for the 15-month period prior to October 1, 1964, but it is the case that in the six months after the regulations came into force there were only 4 deaths from bums in cases where girls were wearing nightdresses, compared with 10 deaths in the corresponding period the year before. I am given to understand that the bums unit of the Birmingham Accident Hospital has been making a study of clothing burns cases treated by the hospital during the period of 12 months before and after October 1, 1964; and, although we have not yet received full particulars, I understand that there has been a noticeable decline in the number of cases.

§ LORD DERWENT
My Lords, can the noble Lord give an undertaking that the report of the Committee will be laid before the House before any further regulations are made, so that we can see the content of that report?

§ LORD STONHAM
No, my Lords, I am afraid I cannot give any such undertaking. I take it that the noble Lord, Lord Derwent, is referring to a report by the Working Party. That is a matter for my right honourable friend the Home Secretary, and if he thinks fit he will lay regulations before the House, which will then be the subject for debate.

§ LORD DERWENT
My Lords, if there is no advance notice of what the Working Party recommends it will make it rather difficult to discuss the regulations because the recommendations of the Working Party might be contrary to the regulations.

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, I should have thought that unlikely. The position is as I have stated it, although of course there might be an opportunity for a debate in some other way.

§ THE EARL OF DUNDEE
My Lords, in view of the noble Lord's concern, can he give an assurance that the robes of the right reverend Prelates are not made of equally flammable material?

§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY
My Lords, trying to speak for the third time, may I ask the noble Lord whether it would be possible for the Home Office to lay stress on the advisability of children wearing pyjamas instead of nightdresses?

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, with regard to the noble Earl's question, I am quite sure that the right reverend Prelate is one of the persons least likely to be in touch with fire.
With regard to my noble friend's question, for which I am grateful, it is the case that in the extensive publicity which has been given to this matter, including the great help we have had from the Consumers' Association, attention is drawn to precisely the point she has made.

LORD REA
My Lords, would the noble Lord agree that there are equal fatalities and injuries to the very old, and could he extend what protection there may be to those persons as well? Indeed, it is not only the very old and the very young: I have no doubt that some of your Lordships are equally flammable.

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, I indicated in the answer to the supplementary question of the noble Lord, Lord Auckland, that the question of nightwear for the elderly is a matter which has been, and is being, considered by the Working Party, and when we have the report, which we expect shortly, we may submit regulations in respect of such nightwear.

§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER
My Lords, may I ask why we have to have these discriminations in age, why we have to wait for Working Parties and interim reports, and why the Government do not immediately stop the sale of things by which people are burned alive?

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, the reason why we cannot stop things immediately is, first, the question of identification. It is not an easy matter to identify particular classes of nightwear. The second reason is that this is a big and important industry; there is a Working Party of some thirty representatives, and they should have the opportunity of saying whether or not these garments are dangerous and of finding ways of getting over the difficulty.