Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) a ban on laser pens and (b) setting a minimum age for the purchase of laser pens; and what steps he is taking to ensure online sales of laser pens are regulated.

Anna Soubry

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 requires all products that are placed onto the UK market whether bought on-line or in a shop to be safe.

The sale and use of laser pointers is an issue that cuts across a number of government departments. Following a cross-Whitehall meeting on 25 February, chaired by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Government has drawn up a plan to tackle these issues to ensure the safety of consumers and the wider public.

The Government is looking at a range of options which may include legislative for controlling the sales, use and possession of laser pens.