HC Deb 09 January 1996 vol 269 cc23-4W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the compliance with United Kingdom safety requirements of disposable lighters from China; what plans he has to ban their import; and if he will make a statement. [8260]

Mr. John M. Taylor

All smokers' lighters intended for supply in the UK, whatever their country of manufacture, are subject to the General Product Safety Regulations 1994, which place a general duty on suppliers of consumers products to supply safe products. In assessing the safety of lighters, account is taken of a number of factors, including relevant safety standards for the product, such as BS 6908: 1990, and the level of safety which consumers may reasonably expect. Local authority trading standards departments, which have the day-to-day responsibility for enforcement of the regulations, have the necessary powers to deal with unsafe products.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to review the safety of imported disposable lighters; and if he will make a statement. [8259]

Mr. Taylor

My Department is represented on the technical committees of the British Standards Institution and the International Standards Organisation, which are reviewing the current international standard for smokers' lighters on which BS 6908 is based. A revised standard is expected to be published shortly.

Mr. Salmond

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what mechanisms his Department has for monitoring incidents relating to the safety of imported items such as disposable lighters; and if he will make a statement. [8258]

Mr. Taylor

The DTI routinely collects statistics on accidents involving consumer products from a representative sample of hospital accident and emergency departments and makes use of any other relevant complementary statistics—for example, Home Office fire statistics. In addition, officials are in close touch with trading standards departments and monitor press reports to identify possible areas of concern.

Where areas of concern are identified, further information will be sought, including matters such as source of supply.