§ Mr. Burtasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a survey on the ability of cigarettes to continue smouldering when placed in a situation comparable to that under which upholstery ignitability is tested has been instituted; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardThe Department undertook a survey to identify any self-extinguishing properties in cigarettes on the United Kingdom market last year, using a procedure published by the National Bureau of Standards of the United States. No significant difference was discovered in the smouldering properties of various brands.
The United States Congress has commissioned a technical study group under the Cigarette Safety Act to examine the feasibility of producing self-extinguishing cigarettes and to report by mid-1987. The results of this work will be closely studied in the United Kingdom by those concerned with fire prevention and also by those concerned with the health aspects of smoking.