Furniture Safety

Mrs. Moon
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide guidance to trading standards officers to ensure consistent implementation of the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. McCartney
I met the all-party parliamentary furniture group in December 2006 to discuss issues relating to fire safety regulations for furniture. While the Department has no plans to issue guidance for trading standards on the implementation of the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire ) (Safety) Regulations 1988, at the meeting I invited industry to get involved in the DTI funded Scambuster pilots for trading standards to help them target those traders that sell substandard furniture that does not comply with the regulations.