Published: Wednesday, 30th July, 2008 12:00
MP unhappy at loop cord safety delay
By Hamish Hutchinson
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Tighter legislation on loop cords has been called for following the tragic death of Muireann McLaughlin.
Pic by: McLaughlin family
PROPOSED changes to improve the safety standard of blind cords has been delayed for six months.
The publication of the new European Standard on blinds, originally due out this summer, has now been pushed back to January next year.
Ochil and South Perthshire MP Gordon Banks expressed his disappointment at the delay.
The Labour MP was at the forefront of the Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser campaign to ‘ban looped cords’ in curtains and blinds following the death of Menstrie toddler Muireann McLaughlin in February.
The two-year-old died at home after she became entangled in a blind cord.
Mr Banks presented an Advertiser petition of 3500 names to the House of Commons in June and had already met with Ministers to discuss the issue.
He said, “Whilst this new European Standard was not perfect by any means, it did improve the current situation and was to act as an intermediate measure until the UK’s new position paper could be put before the EU Commission.
“Therefore it is disappointing that this has now been delayed until January.
“I am pleased that the United Kingdom have passed this paper, at my urging, to the EU Commission and I am working closely with my colleague Catherine Stihler MEP to ensure that it receives widespread support at a European level.
“We must move quickly to improve safety standards on this issue and whilst this delay is an obvious setback, the fight continues to tackle the threat posed by looped blind cords.”
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