Written question asked by David Amess (Conservative) on Tuesday, 31 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 November 2006. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 November 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Cigarette Lighters

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of the Cigarette Lighter Refill (Safety) Regulations 1999; what recent representations he has received about the operation of the regulations; and whether he plans to amend them.

Answer: The Cigarette Lighter Refill (Safety) Regulations banned the supply or sale of butane cigarette lighter refills to people under the age of 18 in 1999. There are currently no plans to amend this order. The Government have targeted the abuse of butane cigarette lighter refills by inhaling as a priority under its Volatile Substance Abuse framework, published in July 2006, and is developing plans to raise awareness of the law and promote its enforcement. The Secretary of State receives a number of representations on volatile substance abuse and this was the subject of an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on the 24 May 2006.

Secondary information