Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the Office for Product Safety and Standards' timetable is for publishing the findings from the Product Safety review consultation which closed on 24 October 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is currently analysing responses to the Product Safety Review consultation. The Government intends to publish a response next year which will summarise the findings and set out future plans.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help raise public awareness of the safe purchasing of lithium battery products.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Department is working with the Home Office, London Fire Brigade and the National Fire Chiefs Council, to raise awareness on this issue. Through the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), we have been promoting Home Office guidance on safe battery charging practices in the home and we share safety messages via social media. OPSS also recently published a safety notice giving specific advice to consumers. I recently also wrote to major food delivery apps including Uber Eats and Deliveroo, urging them to share important government safety advice on e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries.
Existing legislation requires manufactures to provide relevant safety information with their products. OPSS is also seeking assurances from Online Marketplaces on how they ensure consumers have access to instructions on safe use.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many (a) e-bikes and (b) e-scooters were purchased in the UK between 2023 and 2020; and whether she has made an estimate of projected sales in 2024.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We do not monitor or hold records on the sale of e-bikes and e-scooters. However, UK product safety laws require all consumer products to be safe and products using lithium-ion batteries, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, must comply with essential safety requirements set out in law.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business and Trade, has established a multi-disciplinary safety study to understand data and evidence of risks in this area and has commissioned Warwickshire Manufacturing Group, to conduct research examining the safety of lithium-ion batteries. This forms part of cross Government work involving the Home Office and the Department for Transport alongside London Fire Brigade and the National Fire Chiefs Council.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has taken steps to monitor the general (a) use and (b) safety of new lithium battery products.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We do not monitor or hold records on the sale of e-bikes and e-scooters. However, UK product safety laws require all consumer products to be safe and products using lithium-ion batteries, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, must comply with essential safety requirements set out in law.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business and Trade, has established a multi-disciplinary safety study to understand data and evidence of risks in this area and has commissioned Warwickshire Manufacturing Group, to conduct research examining the safety of lithium-ion batteries. This forms part of cross Government work involving the Home Office and the Department for Transport alongside London Fire Brigade and the National Fire Chiefs Council.