Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with regulators and the furniture industry on adopting safer fire safety technologies that reduce smoke toxicity; and what measures they are considering, if any, to encourage the use of inherently fire-resistant materials and innovative design solutions in place of chemical flame retardants.

As set out in the Policy paper The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture, published on 22 January, the Government will reform the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 to ensure they maintain a high level of fire safety while allowing for manufacturing innovation and facilitating a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants.

The Government is committed to improving the communication of information about chemical flame retardants used in upholstered furniture in order to support more informed consumer choices and more effective enforcement as well as the circular economy.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards is engaging with a broad range of stakeholders to inform policy making, including manufacturers, test houses, charities and consumer groups.