2012 No. 2963
Consumer Protection

The Product Safety Amendment and Revocation Regulations 2012

Made
Laid before Parliament
Coming into force
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the Consumer Protection Act 19871.

In accordance with section 11(5) of that Act the Secretary of State has consulted such organisations as appear to him to be representative of interests substantially affected by these Regulations and such other persons as he considers appropriate.

Citation and Commencement1.

These Regulations may be cited as the Product Safety Amendment and Revocation Regulations 2012 and come into force on 6th April 2013.

Amendment2.

For Regulation 15 of the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 20102 substitute—

“15.

(1)

No person shall supply—

(a)

a Christmas cracker to any person under the age of twelve years;

(b)

any other category 1 firework to any person under the age of sixteen years.

(2)

No person shall supply a category 2 or 3 firework to any person under the age of eighteen years.

(3)

In this Regulation—

“Christmas cracker” means a paper or foil tube, crimped at each end, enclosing novelties and with one or more snaps running along the length of the tube; and

“snap” means two overlapping strips of cardboard or paper, or two strings, with a friction-sensitive pyrotechnic composition in sliding contact with an abrasive surface and designed to be held in the hand.”.

Revocation3.

The Pencils and Graphic Instruments (Safety) Regulations 19983 are revoked.
Jo Swinson
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend and revoke two statutory instruments relating to product safety.

Regulation 2 amends the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety Regulations) 2010 to substitute a lower age restriction for the supply of a Christmas cracker which is a category 1 firework. This is in line with the minimum limit set by Directive 2007/23/EC on the placing on the market of pyrotechnic articles (OJ L154, 14/6/2007, p.1).

Regulation 3 revokes the Pencils and Graphic Instruments (Safety) Regulations 1998.

An impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs to business and the voluntary sector is available from the BIS website (www.bis.gov.uk). It is annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside a copy of the instrument at: www.legislation.gov.uk.