§ Mr. Jim Lesterasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection as part of the Safety in the Home campaign, what plans she has to prevent the unsolicited use or issue warnings about the danger to children of PVC bags.
Mr. Alan WilliamsManufacturers of plastic bags were asked some time ago to ensure as far as possible that organisations requiring bags for house-to-house collections are supplied with bags made from film at least 38 microns thick, which is judged to be reasonably safe. The danger to children presented by thinner bags has been well publicised, especially by warnings on the bags themselves.
§ Mr. Jim Lesterasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what complaints she has received about the practice of putting large PVC bags through letterboxes unsolicited by the occupier, which, if found by children, could have serious results.
Mr. Alan WilliamsA complaint about this practice was received earlier this year. Samples of the two plastic bags referred to by the complainant were examined and it was found that the film from which they were made was sufficiently thick not to present a suffocation hazard. I shall be pleased to look into any particular case my hon. Friend has in mind.