§ Dr. Roger Thomas asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government since May 1979 with the aim of reducing the number of domestic accidents to children.
§ Mr. Biffen:My Department's home accident surveillance system shows that a high proportion of accidents in and around the home involve children, especially small children. In many cases such accidents can be avoided by care on the part of the parents and children. For this reason, publicity campaigns have been launched on particular themes. For example, teaching aids on the subject of fire prevention have been produced for use in schools, short television "filler" films and radio tapes have been produced on child safety. The Government have provided help to organisations concerned with child safety, such as the Child Accident Prevention Committee and have supplied material for the BBC series "Play it Safe" and a forthcoming BBC programme on home safety. They have provided financial support for the home safety work of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. The Government have laid great stress on annual publicity campaigns to reduce firework accidents and the number of children injured in this way has declined each year from the peak of 1978.
In certain cases, more needs to be known about the causes of accidents. That is why my Department's safety research section is conducting detailed investigations into areas of importance to child safety, such as severe burns and scalds and accidents involving nursery goods and glass. A study has just been started of what parents consider to be the dangers for children in the home and their relation to supervision.
Legislation also has its role to play in ensuring that consumer goods are safe in the home if handled properly. Since May 1979 the Government have introduced safety regulations controlling the supply of "glitter lamps" containing dangerous solvents, upholstered furniture and certain novelties. They have played their part in extending the voluntary scheme for child resistant closures for solid dose medicines. Safety regulations are being prepared on carry-cots and the packaging and labelling of dangerous household products. The Government have contributed financially to the work of formulating safety standards for consumer goods carried out by the British Standards Institution. They have also participated in the drafting of standards on toys, nursery goods and architectural glass as well as the many articles used in the home, such as electrical equipment, which may give rise to accidents to children. The Government have also encouraged suppliers 491W to observe safety standards and to withdraw from the market, or modify, products likely to injure children—for example, dangerous ornamental dolls and novelties.