Standing in for Prime Minister David Cameron during Prime Minster's Questions this week, Chancellor George Osborne has revealed that regulations regarding childrens' costumes are currently under review.
With fancy dress costumes regulated in the same way as toys under EU rules, there have been calls for a change in legislation which will ultimately ensure costumes are subject to the same regulation standards as clothing.
Highlighting the importance of the issue at hand, Conservative Anne Main addressed the Chancellor and requested an improvement in the composition of childrens' costumes.
"Under current toy regulations, small children can be engulfed in flames by three centimetres in one second," she explained in a brief exchange with Mr. Osborne.
"Will you speak to the Prime Minister and ask if he will intervene with the Business Secretary and see if we can bring in a statutory instrument to improve the flammability of children’s play and dress-up costumes?"
Acknowledging Ms. Main's concerns, the Chancellor drew on a recent high-profile incident which befell much-loved television presenter, Claudia Winkleman's, family during Halloween celebrations in 2014.
"You are quite right to raise this case, he asserted. "We all saw the tragedy that befell the family of the Strictly Come Dancing presenter and the campaign her family have undertaken to change the regulations in this space."
Insisting that the issue is being treated as a matter of importance, Mr. Osborne agreed, saying: "It is true we don’t have the same flame retardant regulations for fancy dress costumes for children."
Mr. Osborne assured the Conservative MP for St. Albans that Business Secretary, Sajid Javid, was looking into it, saying: "We will make sure it changes."
