Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the use of formaldehyde and other chemicals in fire retardants for furniture.

As set out in the policy paper the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture, published in January 2025, we are reviewing the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (FFRs) with the aim of maintaining a high level of fire safety while facilitating a reduction in chemical flame retardant use. We will provide a further update in due course.

The FFRs do not mandate the use of chemical flame retardants. Any chemicals used in the manufacture of furniture placed on the UK market, including to meet the FFRs’ flammability requirements, must comply with all relevant UK chemicals legislation.