§ Ms. LynneTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the implications of the use of second-hand furniture by the Salvation Army and other charities following publication of his guidelines on fire safety.
§ Mr. Leigh[holding answer 28 January 1993]: The fire resistance requirements of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989) which will come into force for secondhand upholstered furniture on 1 March 1993, and apply only to transactions involving the "supply" of furniture which takes place "in the course of business" within the meaning of section 46 of that Act. In my Department's view, the simple distribution of secondhand furniture by a charity, in pursuance of its charitable objectives, either free of charge or at a nominal cost only would be unlikely to constitute a supply in the course of business. Shops selling furniture to raise funds for charitable purposes would constitute a business activity.
It is also my Department's view that the furniture regulations do not apply to furniture used, for example, in Salvation Army hostels. However, guidelines for the fire safety of multiple occupancy premises have been issued by the Department of the Environment. My Department has also published two guidance documents—one for suppliers of domestic upholstered furniture, and the other aimed at consumers—explaining the requirements of the furniture regulations and the level of fire protection they provide. These give useful information and the Department would expect that charities will be guided by the fire safety considerations in the interests of those whom they assist.
My Department strongly advises that any charity should discuss its particular position with its legal advisers in the light of all the circumstances of its operation.
§ Mr. AingerTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what account his Department has taken of the "Guide to Compliance Cost Assessment" published by the deregulation unit in relation to the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 concerning the letting of furnished accommodation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Leigh[holding answer 2 February 1993]: The compliance cost assessment for the draft amendment regulations was prepared in accordance with the guide to compliance cost assessment published by the deregulation unit and was made available for comment by consultees.
§ Mr. AingerTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many responses he has had from the self-catering industry on the cost to individual businesses of implementing the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1992; and when he expects to complete his consultations on the regulations.
§ Mr. Leigh[holding answer 2 February 1993]: Some 30 consultees from the self-catering industry made comments about the costs to individual businesses. The period for consultation on the draft amendment 565W regulations has been completed and the amendment regulations will be laid before Parliament in the near future.