Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the presentation by the Office for Product Safety and Standards on The New Approach to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations at the Chemical Stakeholder Forum on 10 February 2021, whether the new regulations to be made at the end of 2022 are to include new British Standards for product fire safety.
Answered by Paul Scully
In July 2019, the Government announced it would develop a new approach to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and develop Regulations based on safety outcomes. In support of these Regulations, standards are being developed independently by the British Standards Institution.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to recommendation 8 of the Environmental Audit Committee's Twentieth Report of Session 2017-19 on Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life published on 16 July 2019, for what reason children's products have not yet been removed from the scope of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; and what his timetable is for reviewing the scope of those regulations.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has committed to review the status of baby products in the scope of the new regulations. To help inform this, the Government has recently commissioned research to understand the fire risk that certain products, including baby products, pose. Formal consultation on the new approach is currently planned for early 2022.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government has taken to reduce flame retardants in UK furniture; and what reductions have been achieved since 2014.
Answered by Paul Scully
To support the development of its new approach to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, the Government has undertaken two consultations on proposals to update the prescribed tests as set out in the schedules of the 1988 Regulations. Revision of the Regulations is complex, and a broad spectrum of views were expressed through these consultations.
In July 2019, the Government announced it would develop a new approach to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and develop Regulations based on safety outcomes. In support of these Regulations, standards are being developed independently by the British Standards Institution.
The 1988 Regulations already allow for the use of materials and products that deliver consumer safety from fires, without using chemical flame retardants and the Government continues to welcome innovative approaches that deliver safe outcomes for consumers.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of revoking that legislation.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises that the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 need to be updated to respond to developments in furniture design, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns whilst maintaining product safety protections.
In July 2019, the Government announced it would develop a new approach to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 based on outcomes with standards developed independently by the British Standards Institution.
The new approach was recommended following consultation with fire chiefs, the public, manufacturers, suppliers and advice from Chief Scientific Advisors from across Government.
Formal consultation on the new approach is currently planned for Spring 2022.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the presentation by the Office for Product Safety and Standards on The New Approach to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations at the Chemical Stakeholder Forum on 10 February 2021, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the evidence that those regulations provide fire safety with the Department's earlier conclusions on those regulations in 2014.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises that the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 need to be updated to respond to developments in furniture design, innovation, manufacturing processes and environmental and health concerns whilst maintaining product safety protections.
In July 2019, the Government announced it would develop a new approach to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 based on outcomes with standards developed independently by the British Standards Institution.
The new approach was recommended following consultation with fire chiefs, the public, manufacturers, suppliers and advice from Chief Scientific Advisors from across Government.
Formal consultation on the new approach is currently planned for Spring 2022.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has taken steps to make the general public aware that furniture may contain the flame retardant DecaBDE which was banned under UK REACH in March 2019.
Answered by Paul Scully
With effect from 2 March 2019, the use of Deca-BDE was restricted through REACH – this prevents the manufacture and supply on the market of Deca-BDE, including in articles such as furniture. The restriction does not apply to articles placed on the market before 2 March 2019.
A list of restricted substances is available on the Health and Safety Executive website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/restrictions.htm.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to help reduce the number of sofas and mattresses in UK homes that contain the flame retardant chemical DecaBDE, which was banned under UK REACH in March 2019.
Answered by Paul Scully
With effect from 2 March 2019, the use of Deca-BDE was restricted through REACH – this prevents the manufacture and supply on the market of Deca-BDE, including in articles such as furniture. The restriction does not apply to articles placed on the market before 2 March 2019.
A list of restricted substances is available on the Health and Safety Executive website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/restrictions.htm.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to publish guidance on the rights of disabled workers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has published extensive guidance on employment and safer working throughout the Covid-19 outbreak. This can be found on GOV.UK and through the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Further guidance on employment rights and aspects of good practice has been published by other bodies such as ACAS and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Government has also produced guidance around some new situations which have arisen from the Covid-19 outbreak, for example for those identified as clinically extremely vulnerable and on self-isolation. This suite of guidance covers the employment rights of disabled people alongside other groups in the workforce.
The Government continues to support disabled employees to access assistive technology and other forms of support they need to remain in work, including during the Covid-19 outbreak. Through the Disability Confident scheme, we are engaging employers and providing them with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace.? Our new Employer Help site provides advice on recruitment and employment of disabled people, explaining how Disability Confident and Access to Work can help businesses to ensure their practices are fair and inclusive.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will meet with (a) disabled people and (b) disability organisations to co-produce guidance for employers on the rights of disabled employees during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has published extensive guidance on employment and safer working throughout the Covid-19 outbreak. This can be found on GOV.UK and through the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Further guidance on employment rights and aspects of good practice has been published by other bodies such as ACAS and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Government has also produced guidance around some new situations which have arisen from the Covid-19 outbreak, for example for those identified as clinically extremely vulnerable and on self-isolation. This suite of guidance covers the employment rights of disabled people alongside other groups in the workforce.
The Government continues to support disabled employees to access assistive technology and other forms of support they need to remain in work, including during the Covid-19 outbreak. Through the Disability Confident scheme, we are engaging employers and providing them with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace.? Our new Employer Help site provides advice on recruitment and employment of disabled people, explaining how Disability Confident and Access to Work can help businesses to ensure their practices are fair and inclusive.