Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to make representations to the Department for Transport's open consultation entitled Smarter regulation: proposed changes to legislation for electrically assisted pedal cycles, published on 29 February 2024.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As part of a cross-Whitehall approach my Department, through the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), works closely with the Home Office and Department for Transport (DfT) to ensure activity in relation to e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries is aligned. OPSS has worked with DfT during the development of the electrically-assisted pedal cycles consultation and will continue to collaborate as the consultation progresses.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many deaths have been caused by dangerous or counterfeit e-bike chargers in each of the last nine years.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Product Safety Standards (OPSS) is aware of three fatalities in 2022 and 11 fatalities in 2023 from fires related to e-bikes, lithium-ion batteries or chargers. This is drawn from data supplied by UK fire and rescue services, shared with OPSS. Incidents are complex as often multiple products are involved that can be safe and compliant when used individually, but become unsafe when used in combination.
Lithium-ion battery fires involving e-bikes can cause catastrophic damage to property, it is not always possible to identify whether products involved were unsafe, counterfeit or non-compliant given the damage they can sustain.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing regulations to improve fire safety measures for e-bikes.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Under existing UK law, e-bikes must be safe before they are placed on the market. E-bikes are in scope of the Supply of Machinery Regulations (2008) which includes obligations on manufacturers to mitigate safety risks, including fire.
Last year, the Government consulted on the Product Safety Review, seeking views on proposals to reform the UK’s product safety framework so it is fit for the digital age and meets consumers’ and businesses’ needs. Responses to the consultation are currently being analysed. The Government intends to publish its response later this year, which will summarise the findings and set out future plans.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the Office for Product Safety and Standards' timetable is for publishing the findings from the Product Safety review consultation which closed on 24 October 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is currently analysing responses to the Product Safety Review consultation. The Government intends to publish a response later this year which will summarise the findings and set out future plans.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many coroners' reports have asked the Office for Product Safety and Standards to take action against dangerous or faulty e-bike chargers in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has received two coroner’s reports relating to concerns about the safety of e-bikes, lithium-ion batteries and chargers. The reports were received in August 2023 and in January 2024, and OPSS’ responses will be published on the judiciary.uk website.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made provision for (a) familiarisation costs and (b) other transition costs to help ensure Citizens Advice can answer queries on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department works very closely with Citizens Advice, providing funding on behalf of all Whitehall departments and the Welsh Government to support the provision of advice and advocacy including consumer. We are providing total funding of £44 million in the current financial year. We were also able to provide an additional one-off uplift of £3 million at the end of the previous financial year and will continue to work closely with Citizens Advice on their priorities and resources as the current year progresses.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to ensure trading standards representatives can access the information from (a) companies and (b) individuals they need.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Schedule 5 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 provides Trading Standards and other enforcers a power to request information by notice from any person – this includes requesting information from firms and individuals.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill further strengthens these powers by adding provision for the imposition of penalties for non-compliance with an information request.