Member

Amendment 28, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Lansley, seeks to allow the Secretary of State to make regulations providing for the liability of online marketplaces for defective and unsafe products, and to ensure that those suffering harm from unsafe or defective products can obtain redress. We discussed this amendment in Committee, when it was first tabled by my noble friend Lady Crawley; she is not here today and we wish her a speedy recovery. As I said at the time, the primary statutory route to seek damages for harm caused by defective products is through the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Depending upon the specific facts, an online marketplace may have responsibility under this legislation. I again say to noble Lords that the Government are reviewing this legislation and we will consider the UK’s product liability regime holistically, including the question of how it should apply to online marketplaces. We will take the time to consult relevant parties such as other government departments, consumer and business groups, and legal experts such as the Law Commission. We will seek to make any changes needed in parallel with legislation necessary to implement the EU’s updated product liability directive in Northern Ireland. We are committed to doing so under the Windsor Framework. We expect this work to be completed by the end of 2026.