§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the adequacy of arrangements to enforce the current regulations on the safety of gas appliances. [5435]
§ Mr. BattleSafety of gas appliances is regulated by the Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1995, S.I. number 1995/1629, which are made under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Enforcement is the responsibility of weights and measures authorities in Great Britain and district councils in Northern Ireland. Local authorities determine from their own experience the effort required to effectively undertake their enforcement obligations. The powers that are in place are considered to be sufficient to enforce the current regulations, but we will of course keep them under review.