LIGHTER SAFETY

Early day motion 461, tabled 22 March 1999 by Andrew Miller (Labour). Signed by 101 members.

That this House expresses its concern about the danger the importation and manufacture of cheap and faulty lighters poses to the lives and safety of individuals in the UK, particularly children; notes that 35 million lighters were imported into the UK last year from the Far East; further notes that this is an issue which concerns the Institute of Trading Standards, the British Standards Institution and many local fire brigades and trading standards authorities; recognises that currently trading standards officers encounter various difficulties with the enforcement of safety standards; welcomes the Government's attempts to have included in the European standards a requirement that all lighters manufactured within the European Union should bear the name and address of the manufacturer, and all lighters imported into the EU should bear the name and address of the registered importer; congratulates the Government on the fact that such traceability will be included in the revised European and international standard for lighters (BS EN ISO 9994); and presses for the earliest possible introduction of this standard.

Signatures by party: Labour 72, Liberal Democrat 14, Labour/Co-operative 6, UUP 4, Conservative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent 1.