Lord Redesdale introduced a Private Members' Bill on lithium-ion battery safety at second reading in the House of Lords, taking on clauses proposed by the campaigning charity Electrical Safety First alongside his own clauses on online marketplaces and battery energy storage systems1. The charity said he "successfully introduced them at second reading"1.
The Bill sits alongside the Government's Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, described by Electrical Safety First as "enabling legislation which aims to address these risks, maintain high product standards and allow Parliament the ability to update laws as needed"1. During that Bill's second reading in October, the charity said it was pleased to hear the Minister confirm that e-bikes and e-scooter legislation will form part of the Bill's secondary legislation1.
"We are hopeful that the Government will adopt these and subsequently expect these clauses will be dropped from Lord Redesdale's Bill at Committee stage"
Committee stage of Lord Redesdale's Bill is scheduled for 22 October1. The charity said it will continue to pursue its disposal asks in the Private Members' Bill, because disposal is not included in the Government Bill, describing that clause as "vitally important to reduce the number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in the disposal stream"1.
Electrical Safety First also attended the SNP, Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative party conferences in autumn 2024, where it hosted exhibition stands and held a Safety in Active Travel Summit on concerns surrounding e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries1. The charity said the main challenge will be ensuring the legislation is strong enough to prevent bad operators from endangering consumers1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bill | Private Members' Bill on Lithium-ion Battery Safety, House of Lords |
| Introducer | Lord Redesdale |
| Clauses taken on | Electrical Safety First proposed clauses, plus online marketplaces and battery energy storage systems |
| Stage reached | Second reading, introduced successfully |
| Committee stage | 22 October |
| Related Government Bill | Product Regulation and Metrology Bill |
Why it matters for households
Lithium-ion batteries now power e-bikes, e-scooters and a growing share of home backup power equipment, including lithium-ion and lead-acid UPS units. Fires linked to these batteries have been a focus of the charity's campaign, particularly where cells are damaged, poorly made or wrongly discarded. The clauses under discussion cover product standards, online marketplaces and energy storage systems, and a separate disposal provision that the charity says is not covered by the Government Bill1. For a household, the practical effect of any legislation would run through the safety of what is sold, how it is sold online and how spent cells are handled, all of which bear on whether a home can rely on battery storage without added fire risk. The electrical safety regulation framework, including BS 7671 and Part P, governs fixed wiring and installation work rather than the batteries themselves, so the standards for the products are being pursued through this separate route. Guidance on identifying recalled units and disposing of cells safely is set out in the site's lithium battery safety page.
What happens next
Committee stage of Lord Redesdale's Bill is listed for 22 October1. Electrical Safety First said it expects its clauses to be dropped from that Bill if the Government adopts them, and that it will keep pressing its disposal ask in the Private Members' Bill1. It also said it will work during the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to secure assurances that the issues are effectively addressed1. No date has been reported for when any secondary legislation under the Government Bill would be brought forward.
Sources1 cited
- Campaign Update – e-bikes, electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk