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Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Beith MPLiberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Berwick Upon TweedWorking for you and the Berwick upon Tweed Constituency all year roundin Northumberland and in Westminster |
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Don't have a shocking Christmas, warns Sir Alan Beith MP
December 23, 2009 9:00 AM
Local MP Sir Alan Beith is warning people in the Berwick upon Tweed constituency of the dangers of purchasing electrical goods over the internet after research revealed that a range of electrical goods bought from online auction sites did not meet current UK safety standards.
Sir Alan has welcomed the launch of a campaign by the Electrical Safety Council (ESC), the UK's only charity dedicated to electrical safety, to increase awareness of the risks associated with buying electronic equipment online. A recent survey of consumers who had bought electrical goods over the internet showed that that one in five had experienced problems with their purchases - twenty five percent of these said the problems caused an injury or fire.
Sir Alan has added his name to a Parliamentary motion in support of the ESC's campaign tabled by his Lib Dem colleague in the Borders, Michael Moore MP.
Sir Alan is urging all of his constituents who shop online to have a look at the new safety advice available on their website. He said:
'At this time of year, the temptation to take advantage of the many cut-price deals available online is stronger than ever. More and more people in the Berwick upon Tweed constituency are choosing to do their Christmas shopping over the internet.
'What this latest research makes clear is that cheap electronic goods will often come with a hidden cost. The new ESC guide provides consumers with a range of simple precautions that will help people stay safe and reduce the likelihood of a nasty shock this Christmas.'
The ESC Safe Shoppers Guide is available online at www.escsafeshoppersguide.org.uk.