VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Lithium-ion Batteries: Safety

Asked by Alex SobelLabour (Co-op)Department for Business and TradeTabled Answered 16 March 2026UIN 118851

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential risks posed by lithium-ion batteries on public safety.

Answered by Kate Dearden

Product safety laws require consumer products containing lithium-ion batteries, and batteries themselves, to be safe when they are placed on the market. Businesses have obligations to ensure the safety of products they manufacturer or import, and regulators have powers to act when products do not comply. In 2024, my department published statutory guidelines covering the safety of lithium-ion e-bike batteries. In 2025 the Office for Product Safety and Standards published research by Warwick Manufacturing Group into e-bike battery safety, which provides new insight into how lithium-ion batteries fail in real-world scenarios, and best practices for safer battery design.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim