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.

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.