Children's Car Seats

HC Deb 17 June 2003 vol 407 cc105-6W

Mr. Alan Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations the Department has received about the criteria for assessing the safety of children's car seats; and if he will make a statement. [119164]

Mr. Darling

The Department has received no recent representations regarding the criteria for assessing the safety of child restraints. However, the Department is active in its support for activities contributing to improved child restraint standards. As representatives of the UK in the UNECE Group of Experts on passive safety, we argued successfully in Europe for the most effective requirements for the universal version of ISOFix including the provision of top tethers. This will offer a significant step in improved child restraints.

Mr. Alan Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Department collates statistics about injuries to children while in car seats; and if he will make a statement. [119165]

Mr. Darling

Information regarding injuries to children travelling in child restraints is not collected nationally in the official statistics. However, the clear road safety message from research is that child restraints are a very effective means of protecting children in cars.