§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that householders(a) obtain and (b) use certified carbon monoxide detectors. [163386]
§ Mr. BrowneCarbon monoxide alarms conforming to the relevant British Standards are a useful back-up precaution for householders, but should not be regarded as a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of gas equipment by a competent installer registered with Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI).
In the meantime recommendation of CO alarms as a secondary line of defence has been included in the latest HSE guidance on gas safety and HSE is co-operating with industry on research to resolve questions around long-term reliability.