Written Question: Non-Compliant Vapes

Lord Moylan: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which non-compliant vaping products are being sold to British consumers; and what conversations they have had with (1) Trading Standards authorities, and (2) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, about removing non-compliant products from sale.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Stte, Department of Health & Social Care (Lord Markham): No specific assessment has been made. However, last year, we did provide funding to the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards to undertake a programme of test purchasing using young people aged under 18 years old. They found a non-compliance rate of 33% for under 18 year old sales and 25% of the products purchased were non-compliant and should not have been on sale in this country.

The Government expects industry and vaping manufacturers to comply with the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) requiring notification to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before a vape is sold in the United Kingdom. We hold regular conversations with the MHRA regarding the vaping notification system and to disseminate information about notified vapes to support local enforcement.

Where there is evidence of non-compliance to TRPR we work with the relevant enforcement authorities to ensure that this is remedied.