Carbon monoxide alarm regulations currently exclude vulnerable settings from important protections. The Liberal Democrats officially called for a change in the regulations at Dr Al Pinkerton MP’s Westminster Hall debate on 11 February, opening the door for cross-party action on this important issue.  

Closing regulatory gaps for carbon monoxide alarms   

In an important response to the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning, the Lib Dems have called for the Government to expand Carbon Monoxide Alarms Regulations to include care homes for the mandatory installation of a working carbon monoxide alarm. 

Care homes are at present exempt from alarms regulations in England – a glaring omission that leaves vulnerable residents at risk and is linked to the deaths of three residents in a care home in Swanage last year due to suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Policy Connect and members of the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG) have long called on government to expand the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms (Regulations) 2022 to care homes, hospitals and hospices, and student halls – often typical residences that rely, as most UK homes do, on hazardous fossil fuel appliances for heating and cooking. 

The Lib Dems are the first party to move formally on this important issue, with Lib Dem MP Ed Morello calling for domestic loopholes to be closed in last week’s Westminster Hall debate on carbon monoxide safety abroad. 

In the debate, a cross-party group of MPs, including Dr Al Pinkerton MP (Lib Dem), Ed Morello MP, Jim Shannon MP (DUP), Mark Francois MP (Conservative), and Andrew Rosindell MP (Conservative) called on the Government to better communicate the risks at home and abroad. 

This vital cross-party recognition of the pervasive risks of carbon monoxide poisoning must translate into concrete action: all parties and government leaders must act to raise awareness and safety standards pertaining to carbon monoxide and prevent further loss of life. 

Debate backdrop: Standardising regulations and protections  

Standardising the regulations applicable to the implementation of carbon monoxide safety is crucial in ensuring no lives are lost to this entirely preventable tragedy. Carbon monoxide cannot be seen, smelt or tasted; a working carbon monoxide alarm is therefore a significant layer of protection against lethal levels of the gas.  

Each UK nation has its own requirements for installing carbon monoxide alarms. Standardising the regulations in the UK for settings where a carbon monoxide alarm is required can be the first step in improving safety at home. 

Scotland currently mandates alarms in care homes where England does not, while gas cookers are excluded from regulations in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland but included in Wales. 

Such variation engenders confusion about requirements and can imply a lack of risk where certain hazardous appliances or settings are left out. 

Another important point of protection is the standard of carbon monoxide alarms available for use in the UK. Government departments should only encourage the use of alarms that comply with British Standards. Online marketplaces are flooded with substandard alarms that give users a false sense of protection and therefore still leave them vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning.  

We greatly appreciate MPs from across Parliament joining the debate and sharing our commitment to raising awareness of and standards for safe fuel use. Everyone deserves protection from this silent killer.