Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that imported vaping liquids are subject to the same (a) safety and (b) nicotine-level testing as those produced by UK-regulated manufacturers.

Powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill allow us to establish a new registration scheme for tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products. Under this scheme, manufacturers of vaping liquids, as well as other products, would be required to provide information verifying the product’s safety and compliance with our product rules. Alongside this, the bill provides powers to establish a more rigorous testing regime for these products. These rules will apply to products produced in the United Kingdom and those imported for sale into the UK.

There are questions on both the registration and testing of products in the recently published Call for Evidence. In this, we are seeking information on how best to implement the registration scheme, as well as elements such as testing standards. The evidence gathered will inform development of policy and a subsequent consultation. Further information on the Call for Evidence is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/tobacco-and-vapes-evidence-to-support-legislation

The future registration scheme will play an important part in enforcing our rules on product requirements. It will ensure consumer safety and improve retailer confidence in the products they are selling.