Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to revise their regulations on carbon monoxide alarms in accommodation to reflect the safety warning issued by the Office for Product Safety and Standards on 15 August on the use of gas grills.

The Government takes the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning in rented accommodation very seriously. For this reason, we have introduced legislation which comes into force on 1 October 2022 significantly to extend requirements for carbon monoxide alarms, so that they are required in all private and socially rented homes in rooms with fixed combustion appliances and where new fixed combustion appliances are installed in any home.

Consideration was given during the consultation process to including gas cookers (which would include the use of gas grills) in this legislation. The evidence available at the time of consultation showed that gas cookers are responsible for fewer incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning than gas boilers and that, as such, the inclusion of gas cookers within the regulations would be disproportionate. This view was broadly reflected in the responses to the consultation.

Given the imminent commencement of the regulations, there are no current plans to revise the 1 October 2022 regulations. The regulations are, however, subject to review in the future, and we may re-consider the case for inclusion of gas cookers, or other appliances, if required.