§ Mrs. McLaughlinasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the existing Regulations under the Fabrics Misdescription Act, 1913, do not permit the development for use in trade of a reasonable standard for flame resistant fabrics: and what action he proposes to take.
§ Sir D. EcclesYes. The Transfer of Functions (Misdescription of Fabrics) Order, 1957 (S.I. 1957/1077), which was laid before Parliament on 25th June, transfers to the Board of Trade the functions under the Fabrics (Misdescription) Act, 1913. I am advised that under that Act it would be unlawful to attribute the quality of non-inflammability to fabrics even though they conformed to a recognised specification for flame resistant fabrics—such as that recommended in the recent report by the British Standards Institution on the flammability of clothing fabrics—until such a specification is prescribed by Regulations made under the Act. As soon as such a specification is available, I therefore propose to make new Regulations under the Act which will enable manufacturers to attribute the quality of flame resistance to fabrics which conform with it.