§ Mr. HillTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what safety regulations apply to children's nightdresses and pyjamas; and what recent cases there have been whereby injury has been caused to children due to the lack of flame retardants in these articles of clothing.
§ Mr. LeighUnder the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 (as amended in 1987) children's nightdresses must pass a test for low flammability. Pyjamas do not have to comply with the flammability standard, but they must carry a permanent label showing whether or not they meet that standard. Garments can achieve low flammability through use of fabrics which are inherently fire resistant or by adding a fire retardant treatment to the fabric.
My Department's home accident surveillance system (HASS) monitors accidents receiving attention at the accident and emergency departments of 22 hospitals in England and Wales. HASS statistics for 1988 (the latest year for which data is complete) record two accidents in which children required hospital treatment for burn injuries after their nightwear caught fire. In one case the child was wearing pyjamas and in the other a nightdress was being worn. There is no record in these particular cases whether or not the garments were flame retarded.