Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those permanently living in alternative housing (such as caravans, houseboats, tiny homes, and other non-traditional housing) are as safe from electricity in their homes as people living in traditional properties.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their homes, regardless of tenure or agreement type.
Non-permanent structures separate from the land, such as mobile homes and houseboats, are legally defined as chattels rather than buildings. They are not subject to the legal framework in the Building Regulations which covers electrical installation work. They are, however, subject to consumer protection legislation in the same way as any other consumer goods. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA), goods should be as described, of a satisfactory quality, and fit for a particular purpose when they are purchased. The CRA 2015 applies to contracts entered into after the 1st October 2015 when the Act came into force.
As most non-traditional homes are owner-occupied there is no legal requirement for the owner to have the electrics checked in their property on a regular basis, though we would recommend they do so.
On mobile home sites, the owner must ensure they comply with the conditions of their licence provided by the local authority, to ensure that proper health, safety and amenity standards are maintained.
The Government has no plans to introduce any specific schemes relating to electrical safety in non-traditional homes at this time.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide consumer information to improve the electrical safety of those living in alternative housing such as caravans, houseboats, tiny homes, and other non-traditional housing.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their homes, regardless of tenure or agreement type.
Non-permanent structures separate from the land, such as mobile homes and houseboats, are legally defined as chattels rather than buildings. They are not subject to the legal framework in the Building Regulations which covers electrical installation work. They are, however, subject to consumer protection legislation in the same way as any other consumer goods. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA), goods should be as described, of a satisfactory quality, and fit for a particular purpose when they are purchased. The CRA 2015 applies to contracts entered into after the 1st October 2015 when the Act came into force.
As most non-traditional homes are owner-occupied there is no legal requirement for the owner to have the electrics checked in their property on a regular basis, though we would recommend they do so.
On mobile home sites, the owner must ensure they comply with the conditions of their licence provided by the local authority, to ensure that proper health, safety and amenity standards are maintained.
The Government has no plans to introduce any specific schemes relating to electrical safety in non-traditional homes at this time.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to regulate installers of electrical systems working in non-traditional housing, to ensure quality and parity with approved installer registration schemes.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their homes, regardless of tenure or agreement type.
Non-permanent structures separate from the land, such as mobile homes and houseboats, are legally defined as chattels rather than buildings. They are not subject to the legal framework in the Building Regulations which covers electrical installation work. They are, however, subject to consumer protection legislation in the same way as any other consumer goods. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA), goods should be as described, of a satisfactory quality, and fit for a particular purpose when they are purchased. The CRA 2015 applies to contracts entered into after the 1st October 2015 when the Act came into force.
As most non-traditional homes are owner-occupied there is no legal requirement for the owner to have the electrics checked in their property on a regular basis, though we would recommend they do so.
On mobile home sites, the owner must ensure they comply with the conditions of their licence provided by the local authority, to ensure that proper health, safety and amenity standards are maintained.
The Government has no plans to introduce any specific schemes relating to electrical safety in non-traditional homes at this time.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate she has made of what proportion of imported (a) consumer electronics and (b) electrical goods sold online meet relevant UK safety standards.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
All products must comply with the essential safety requirements before they can be legally placed on the market. We do not have an estimate of the proportion of imported electronic goods sold online that meet UK safety requirements. However, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), has prioritised activities to target unsafe products sold online including by requiring recalls and takedowns and, where necessary, taking enforcement action to prevent unsafe products being available to UK consumers.
The Government is also consulting on proposals that will modernise responsibilities in online supply chains as part of the Product Safety Review.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to prevent the sale of unsafe electrical appliances on online marketplaces.
Answered by Paul Scully
Product safety legislation places obligations on manufacturers, importers and distributors to ensure that consumer products, including electrical goods, are safe before they are placed on the UK market. This applies equally to products sold online and offline.
However, Government recognises that – alongside its benefits – e-commerce has brought significant challenges. This is one of the reasons that the Government is currently reviewing the product safety framework. A Call for Evidence to inform the review ran last year, and the Government Response is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-product-safety-review-call-for-evidence.
A consultation, including proposals to tackle unsafe products sold online, will be published later this year.
Alongside this, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) leads a national programme of regulatory action to tackle the risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods sold on online marketplaces. In 2021, 12,500 products were removed from supply due to OPSS interventions.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what consideration he has given to the potential of merits of obligating sellers to ensure that any electrical products reported as unsafe by purchasers can be removed from the site within 24 hours.
Answered by Paul Scully
Existing product safety legislation places obligations on manufacturers, importers, and distributors to ensure that consumer products, including electrical goods, are safe before being placed on the UK market. This applies to products sold online and offline.
The Government recognises that the growth of e-commerce, and particularly the sale of products by third-party sellers on marketplaces, presents a significant challenge. This challenge is a key aspect of a review of the Product Safety framework being conducted by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). A call for evidence to inform the review was carried out last year: (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-product-safety-review-call-for-evidence). Following on from this, a consultation, including proposals to further tackle the sale of unsafe goods online, will be published later this year.
Alongside the Product Safety Review, OPSS is leading a national programme of regulatory action to tackle the risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods sold on online marketplaces, including those sold by third party sellers. In 2021, 12,500 products were removed from supply due to OPSS interventions. OPSS has also expanded its test purchase programme, targeting, and assessing the compliance of products sold online by third parties, and continues to raise consumer awareness about the product safety risks when buying online.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to what steps his Department is taking to ensure that electrical goods offered for sale on online marketplaces by third party sellers are safe for use in the UK.
Answered by Paul Scully
Existing product safety legislation places obligations on manufacturers, importers, and distributors to ensure that consumer products, including electrical goods, are safe before being placed on the UK market. This applies to products sold online and offline.
The Government recognises that the growth of e-commerce, and particularly the sale of products by third-party sellers on marketplaces, presents a significant challenge. This challenge is a key aspect of a review of the Product Safety framework being conducted by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). A call for evidence to inform the review was carried out last year: (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-product-safety-review-call-for-evidence). Following on from this, a consultation, including proposals to further tackle the sale of unsafe goods online, will be published later this year.
Alongside the Product Safety Review, OPSS is leading a national programme of regulatory action to tackle the risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods sold on online marketplaces, including those sold by third party sellers. In 2021, 12,500 products were removed from supply due to OPSS interventions. OPSS has also expanded its test purchase programme, targeting, and assessing the compliance of products sold online by third parties, and continues to raise consumer awareness about the product safety risks when buying online.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that online marketplaces follow the same safety regulations as other UK retailers.
Answered by Paul Scully
Existing product safety legislation places obligations on manufacturers, importers, and distributors to ensure that consumer products, including electrical goods, are safe before being placed on the UK market. This applies to products sold online and offline.
The Government recognises that the growth of e-commerce, and particularly the sale of products by third-party sellers on marketplaces, presents a significant challenge. This challenge is a key aspect of a review of the Product Safety framework being conducted by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). A call for evidence to inform the review was carried out last year: (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-product-safety-review-call-for-evidence). Following on from this, a consultation, including proposals to further tackle the sale of unsafe goods online, will be published later this year.
Alongside the Product Safety Review, OPSS is leading a national programme of regulatory action to tackle the risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods sold on online marketplaces, including those sold by third party sellers. In 2021, 12,500 products were removed from supply due to OPSS interventions. OPSS has also expanded its test purchase programme, targeting, and assessing the compliance of products sold online by third parties, and continues to raise consumer awareness about the product safety risks when buying online.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they collect regarding electrical appliances purchased online that are (1) counterfeit, (2) poor quality, or (3) faulty.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Businesses have a legal duty to notify market surveillance authorities where they have identified a safety issue with a product they have placed on the market, including online. To support the best use of this information, in 2019, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) launched the UK’s Product Safety Database. The database allows authorities to access and exchange data securely and effectively to ensure swift and appropriate action can be taken to protect consumers. If consumers have a concern about the safety of a product, or other consumer concerns relating to quality or faults, they can contact Citizens Advice in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland or Consumer Advice Service. They will refer suspected breaches of consumer law on to Trading Standards for enforcement action where appropriate.
In order to further support consumers, OPSS publishes alerts on GOV.UK about unsafe products and recalls using information from the database. This includes regular Product Safety Reports. These contain information about individual products, including electrical products, that have been investigated and found to present a risk to the health and safety of consumers. Reports include details about the product, photos of the product, the risks it presents (such as electrical shock), the details of distributor and/or manufacturer, whether it was sold on an online marketplace, details of non-compliance, and the corrective actions taken by businesses.
OPSS does not currently record information regarding electric shocks, or other injuries such as burns, caused by electrical items purchased online. However, OPSS is currently trialling information sharing with some NHS hospitals and continues to examine how we can make the best use of available data.
In relation to counterfeit goods, the Government works with industry and enforcement agencies on a range of initiatives. The Intellectual Property Office collects intelligence on counterfeit items and works in partnership with Trading Standards, law enforcement, and industry groups to reduce the sale of counterfeit goods on e-commerce stores and via links from social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to recording of electric shocks, or other injuries such as burns, caused by electrical items purchased online.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Businesses have a legal duty to notify market surveillance authorities where they have identified a safety issue with a product they have placed on the market, including online. To support the best use of this information, in 2019, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) launched the UK’s Product Safety Database. The database allows authorities to access and exchange data securely and effectively to ensure swift and appropriate action can be taken to protect consumers. If consumers have a concern about the safety of a product, or other consumer concerns relating to quality or faults, they can contact Citizens Advice in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland or Consumer Advice Service. They will refer suspected breaches of consumer law on to Trading Standards for enforcement action where appropriate.
In order to further support consumers, OPSS publishes alerts on GOV.UK about unsafe products and recalls using information from the database. This includes regular Product Safety Reports. These contain information about individual products, including electrical products, that have been investigated and found to present a risk to the health and safety of consumers. Reports include details about the product, photos of the product, the risks it presents (such as electrical shock), the details of distributor and/or manufacturer, whether it was sold on an online marketplace, details of non-compliance, and the corrective actions taken by businesses.
OPSS does not currently record information regarding electric shocks, or other injuries such as burns, caused by electrical items purchased online. However, OPSS is currently trialling information sharing with some NHS hospitals and continues to examine how we can make the best use of available data.
In relation to counterfeit goods, the Government works with industry and enforcement agencies on a range of initiatives. The Intellectual Property Office collects intelligence on counterfeit items and works in partnership with Trading Standards, law enforcement, and industry groups to reduce the sale of counterfeit goods on e-commerce stores and via links from social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram.