§ Sir David PriceTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the number of British people who die each year from accidents in their homes; and what are the Government's plans to reduce that number.
§ Mr. ForthThe latest available figure for deaths in the United Kingdom is for 1987, in which year there were 4,919 deaths from accidents in the home. There is a comprehensive legal framework which deals with the safety of consumer goods primarily, enforced by local authority trading standards departments, including the general safety requirement in the Consumer Protection Act 1987 which requires consumer goods to be reasonably safe, and specific regulations dealing with particular products or problems. This is complemented by safety awareness campaigns to alert people to the dangers they face every day in their own houses. The Government seek 113W to co-operate with non-governmental safety organisations whose aim is to promote safety awareness and safe products.