§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions took place with Mothercare in 1989 and 1990 over the results of its tests into cot mattresses containing toxic substances and the reasons for them replacing such mattresses at that time.
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 25 November 1994]: No such tests were made known to the Department during 1989 and 1990. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended, do not specify the use of fire retardants. The regulations are made in terms of a series of ignition resistance tests for different furniture components and manufacturers can meet the required standards for mattresses safely in a number of ways.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he received from industry about the adverse affects on children from the use of fire retardant chemicals in nursery furniture prior to the introduction of the legislation.
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 25 November 1994]: My Department consulted industry and other interested organisations when making the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and full consideration was given to the use of fire retardant chemicals in nursery furniture. The risk to young children of being killed or injured in fires involving nursery furniture outweighed the possibility of skin irritations to some babies, cited by industry, from contact with fire retardant chemicals. This took into account the variety of options available to industry to meet the match resistance requirements. Not all fabrics need the application of chemicals to make thern match resistant.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the reasons for his 1989 decision to(a) exempt baby nests from the provisions of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and (b) not exempt nursery furniture coverings from the provisions of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 25 November 1994]: Baby nests were exempted from the requirements of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended, because of the need for them to be made of permeable materials to avoid the risk of suffocation because of the purpose of their design. Nursery furniture coverings were not exempted from fire safety protection because there is no attendant risk of suffocation.