Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the seriousness of the fire risk posed by lithium batteries in e-scooters.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has established a safety study to understand the risks presented by e-bikes and e-scooters. This includes understanding available data, investigating incidents, enforcement action when needed, targeting unsafe products at the border, and providing public safety information on safe use and charging.

OPSS commissioned Warwick Manufacturing Group, part of Warwick University, to conduct research examining the safety of the lithium-ion batteries within Personal Light Electric Vehicles.

These activities form part of cross Government work involving the Home Office, Department for Transport and OPSS, which is part of the Department for Business and Trade.