Communal hairbrushes and combs nixed in Houses of Parliament

British lawmakers nit-picking

Shared combs and brushes have been banned from Britain's lower House of Commons in a bid to thwart headlice, a newspaper said. The Sun reported that communal hairbrushes and combs were being axed under health and safety regulations. The sweeping new rules were also intended to halt the threat of blood-borne diseases like AIDS being spread.

Combs and brushes have been provided in the washrooms for centuries so lawmakers can smarten up before meeting visitors or entering the chamber. The move has left some members itching with fury. "Health and safety have run riot. It's lunacy," raged main opposition Conservative lawmaker Anthony Steen.

Speaker Michael Martin soothed fears the days of well-coiffed members were over. "MPs can bring in their own combs," he said. Nick Harvey from the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats also brushed off the complaints. "There have been no reported cases of communicable diseases or infestations relating to the use of communal combs and hairbrushes in members' washrooms over the last 10 years. "The risk of anything being spread was low - but it did exist. "Nothing would ever have tempted me to use these objects," he added.