Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988

Mrs. Moon
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; and whether he plans to increase public awareness of the statutory requirement that furniture and furnishings must meet the standards of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

Mr. Thomas
The Department of Trade and Industry commissioned the University of Surrey to research the effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. The resulting report—‘Effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988’—was published in June 2000 and copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report’s findings were very positive: at a conservative estimate, the Regulations had saved at least 710 lives (1,860 when additional factors are taken into consideration) and prevented at least 5,770 injuries from 1988 to 1997. Recent figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government show that the downward trend in deaths and injuries has continued. I am currently considering whether further public awareness of the requirements of the Regulations is necessary at this stage.