§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) pursuant to his reply of 7 February, if he will provide details of the several recorded accidents involving the use of scented erasers as defined in the Scented Erasers (Safety) Order; and in what manner these accidents were recorded;
(2) pursuant to his reply of 7 February, how many of the several recorded accidents involving the use of scented erasers were related to erasers; and how many to pens or pencils with attached erasers;
(3) pursuant to his reply of 7 February, if he will detail the nature of the injuries incurred in the several recorded accidents involving the use of scented erasers.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherSeven incidents involving scented erasers have been made known to my Department. In three cases the parents of young children had to remove a scented eraser from the child's throat to avoid choking. In the others very young children were found attempting to eat scented erasers. These incidents were reported by TSOs and the media. None of these erasers were attached to pens or pencils.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies his Department made of the causes and circumstances of the several recorded accidents involving the use of scented erasers before making the Scented Erasers (Safety) Order; and if the persons sustaining the accidents and their parents were interviewed.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherStudies were not considered necessary. The known accidents showed that a risk existed. The reappearance on the market of those scented erasers small enough to be swallowed by a young child justified further action. Suppliers had not heeded my predecessor's appeal not to supply them.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he proposes to issue advice to the wholesalers and retailers of scented erasers on how they should dispose of their stocks of scented erasers in view of their classification as being a danger to the public in the Scented Erasers (Safety) Order; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherNo. It is not for me to tell suppliers how to dispose of stocks of unsafe articles.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report 22W the texts of the warnings and press notices which Her Majesty's Government issued on the dangers involved in the sale of scented erasers prior to the making of the Scented Erasers (Safety) Order.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherCopies of the two press notices, of 21 May 1982 and 8 November 1982, issued by the Department on the dangers of scented erasers are available in the Library.
§ Mr. John Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria he takes into account before banning the sale of goods such as scented erasers because there is a risk that children might choke on the goods in question; if there are any further goods he has any plans to ban on the same grounds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe Consumer Safety Act 1978 gives the Secretary of State powers to prohibit the supply of any goods which he considers are not "safe". Section 9 of that Act defines the meaning of "safe". I have at present no plans to prohibit the supply of any other goods which might represent a choking hazard but will not hesitate to do so should the circumstances demand it.
I have no plans to make any further statement.