Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the use of ultrasonic anti-social behaviour devices on the health and wellbeing of young people who are not engaging in anti-social behaviour.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to ensuring that all products placed on the market in the UK are safe and a comprehensive regulatory framework exists to ensure this is the case. Products such as ultrasonic devices, including those used to deter anti-social behaviour are regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR), and may be covered by other product specific laws, such as the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. GPSR require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, can be placed on the market. The laws place obligations on producers, manufacturers, importers, and distributors to ensure consumers are provided with safety information including instructions for assembly, installation, and maintenance.
Concerns and questions about the safety of any product should be directed to the manufacturer in the first instance. The manufacturer should be able to provide some reassurance or take action to address these. Consumers and members of the public may also liaise directly with the Citizens Advice consumer helpline (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue/). Citizens Advice may, if appropriate, send a copy of the information to the local trading standards service on their behalf. It is the responsibility of the trading standards service which receives the details from Citizens Advice to determine whether there is evidence of an offence, and to decide what further action to take. Alternatively, Citizens Advice themselves may be able to provide advice on consumer rights.
The Department of Business and Trade can confirm that there have been no reports relating to these products on the UK product safety database, which is a system used by regulators to notify information about safety risks and actions taken.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many homes occupied by families from (a) RAF Shawbury, (b) RAF Cosford and (c) Clive Barracks do not have up to date electrical safety certificates.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The following table provides a breakdown of occupied Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for (a) RAF Shawbury, (b) RAF Cosford and (c) Clive Barracks (Ternhill), with expired Gas Safety Certificates and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR):
| Expired Gas Safety Certificate | Expired Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) | Total number of occupied SFA |
RAF Cosford | 5 | 78 | 380 |
RAF Shawbury | 3 | 37 | 131 |
Clive Barracks (Ternhill) | 2 | 41 | 96 |
Engineers have attended the 10 homes with expired Gas Safety Certificates at least once, with the majority attended more than once, however, the contractor has been unable to gain access or confirm an appointment with all the families. It remains a top priority to gain access to these homes.
Appointments to complete the EICRs for the 156 occupied SFA at these sites have been made and should be carried out by the end of August 2023. A number of factors have led to the EICR backlog accumulating, for example, supply chain resource problems, and legislation has reduced the currency of existing electrical safety certificates from 10 years to five, increasing the frequency of the checks.
The safety of our personnel and their families is our highest priority. It is unacceptable for any family to be living in a home without the necessary checks.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many homes occupied by families from (a) RAF Shawbury, (b) RAF Cosford and (c) Clive Barracks do not have up to date gas safety certificates.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The following table provides a breakdown of occupied Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for (a) RAF Shawbury, (b) RAF Cosford and (c) Clive Barracks (Ternhill), with expired Gas Safety Certificates and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR):
| Expired Gas Safety Certificate | Expired Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) | Total number of occupied SFA |
RAF Cosford | 5 | 78 | 380 |
RAF Shawbury | 3 | 37 | 131 |
Clive Barracks (Ternhill) | 2 | 41 | 96 |
Engineers have attended the 10 homes with expired Gas Safety Certificates at least once, with the majority attended more than once, however, the contractor has been unable to gain access or confirm an appointment with all the families. It remains a top priority to gain access to these homes.
Appointments to complete the EICRs for the 156 occupied SFA at these sites have been made and should be carried out by the end of August 2023. A number of factors have led to the EICR backlog accumulating, for example, supply chain resource problems, and legislation has reduced the currency of existing electrical safety certificates from 10 years to five, increasing the frequency of the checks.
The safety of our personnel and their families is our highest priority. It is unacceptable for any family to be living in a home without the necessary checks.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to raise public awareness of the potential fire risk of lithium batteries in residential buildings.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is working with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and London Fire Brigade on the fire safety impacts of the increased use of lithium-ion batteries in the home.
In November each year, the Fire Kills campaign works with Electrical Safety First to run Electrical Fire Safety Week to promote messages on safe use of electrical goods and appliances. Working in partnership with the NFCC, the Home Office also provides resources and information to support delivery of fire prevention by local fire and rescue services.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to include (a) guidance on and (b) specific reference to the storing and charging of e-bikes and e-scooters in the Government’s planned update to Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats guide is currently being updated and we will shortly be launching a stakeholder engagement exercise seeking views on the revised version.
The guide includes a section on electrical hazards and specific reference to mobility scooters but there are no plans at present to include specific reference to the storing and charging of e-bikes and e-scooters. We would welcome views through the stakeholder engagement exercise on the content of the guide and any new or emerging issues that stakeholders would like to see included within it.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2022 to Question 120801 on Housing: Regional Planning and Development, whether the planned legally binding Decent Home Standard will include a requirement for all homes to be free of unsanitary toilets, bathrooms and kitchens.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are committed to driving up standards in private rented accommodation and we will be consulting on introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard (DHS) in the Private Rented Sector.
Rented homes must already be free of the most serious ‘category 1’ hazards, which include but are not limited to issues such as electrical and fire safety, dampness and cold assessed using the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS). We are reviewing the HHSRS to ensure the system is more accessible and easier to understand for landlords and tenants, and facilitates the effective enforcement of housing standards by local authorities.
We will publish a White Paper in spring this year that will set out our proposals for reform of the private rented sector.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2022 to Question 120801 on Housing: Regional Planning and Development, whether the planned legally binding Decent Home Standard will include a requirement for all homes to be free of structural or internal disrepair.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are committed to driving up standards in private rented accommodation and we will be consulting on introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard (DHS) in the Private Rented Sector.
Rented homes must already be free of the most serious ‘category 1’ hazards, which include but are not limited to issues such as electrical and fire safety, dampness and cold assessed using the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS). We are reviewing the HHSRS to ensure the system is more accessible and easier to understand for landlords and tenants, and facilitates the effective enforcement of housing standards by local authorities.
We will publish a White Paper in spring this year that will set out our proposals for reform of the private rented sector.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2022 to Question 120801 on Housing: Regional Planning and Development, whether the planned legally binding Decent Home Standard will include a requirement for all homes to be free of vermin infestation.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are committed to driving up standards in private rented accommodation and we will be consulting on introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard (DHS) in the Private Rented Sector.
Rented homes must already be free of the most serious ‘category 1’ hazards, which include but are not limited to issues such as electrical and fire safety, dampness and cold assessed using the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS). We are reviewing the HHSRS to ensure the system is more accessible and easier to understand for landlords and tenants, and facilitates the effective enforcement of housing standards by local authorities.
We will publish a White Paper in spring this year that will set out our proposals for reform of the private rented sector.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Answer of 15 February 2022 to Question 120801 on Housing: Regional Planning and Development, whether the planned legally binding Decent Home Standard will include a requirement for all homes to (a) be free of dampness and (b) have heating.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are committed to driving up standards in private rented accommodation and we will be consulting on introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard (DHS) in the Private Rented Sector.
Rented homes must already be free of the most serious ‘category 1’ hazards, which include but are not limited to issues such as electrical and fire safety, dampness and cold assessed using the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS). We are reviewing the HHSRS to ensure the system is more accessible and easier to understand for landlords and tenants, and facilitates the effective enforcement of housing standards by local authorities.
We will publish a White Paper in spring this year that will set out our proposals for reform of the private rented sector.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2022 to Question 120801 on Housing: Regional Planning and Development, whether the planned legally binding Decent Home Standard will include a requirement for all homes to be free of fire safety issues.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are committed to driving up standards in private rented accommodation and we will be consulting on introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard (DHS) in the Private Rented Sector.
Rented homes must already be free of the most serious ‘category 1’ hazards, which include but are not limited to issues such as electrical and fire safety, dampness and cold assessed using the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS). We are reviewing the HHSRS to ensure the system is more accessible and easier to understand for landlords and tenants, and facilitates the effective enforcement of housing standards by local authorities.
We will publish a White Paper in spring this year that will set out our proposals for reform of the private rented sector.