Latest News - Activity Update, November 2005
CARBON MONOXIDE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning kills in the region of 20 – 30 people each year, and injures many hundred more. It is known as the silent killer because you can’t see it, hear it, smell it or taste it. With an extremely cold winter forecast, there are fears of more deaths resulting from poorly maintained heating systems.
To raise awareness of this potentially deadly danger in the home, CORGI and RoSPA have collaborated to produce a joint-advertising campaign featuring real-life case-studies of victims of CO poisoning. The Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group John Trickett spoke at the formal launch of the campaign, which is also backed by the Consumer Affairs Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe MP. The Group looks forward to seeing the adverts broadcast early in 2006.
EDM on gas safety
The issue of consumer awareness was also raised in an Early Day Motion tabled by APPGSG Chairman John Trickett earlier this year. It calls for action to ensure that energy companies act to support an awareness campaign, an issue which the All-Party Group will take up in the coming session. The EDM is contained in full below and has 56 supportive signatories at the time of writing:
“That this House notes that deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning are entirely preventable but that around 30 people a year die from it and hundreds more are injured; further notes that the best way of preventing carbon monoxide poisoning is to ensure that all gas appliances are checked regularly by a CORGI-registered installer; is alarmed that too many appliances do not receive a regular service; believes that this potentially endangers lives; congratulates organisations such as CORGI and CO-Gas Safety on their efforts to improve consumer awareness but believes that much more needs to be done; calls on the Government to ensure that energy companies make good on their pledge to fund an extensive awareness campaign; and urges all organisations with a stake in improving gas safety to consider ways of making more resources available for its promotion.”
All-Party Group Survey
The survey received a good response. The following issues emerged as priorities for the Group:
- Improving consumer awareness of key gas safety initiatives
- Improving the rate of prosecutions for installers who break the law
- Tackling illegal non-registered installers
- Improving the effectiveness of the mandatory registration scheme
- Dealing with skills shortages
- Restricting the sale of appliances for DIY
The following formats of activity were deemed the most useful:
- Debates hosted by the APPG
- Expert seminars
- Gas-safety workshops for Parliamentarians / researchers
- Ministerial Q&A sessions
- Delegations to see Ministers
The All-Party Group will reflect these priorities in forthcoming activity.