National Campaign for Firework Safety


Parliament in 1991

House of Lords where stated, otherwise House of Commons

26 February 1991

Firework Injuries

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost to the health service of treating injuries caused by fireworks in each of the past five years.

Mr. Dorrell : Information on which to base such an estimate is not available


27 February 1991

Fireworks

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the figures for injuries caused by fireworks for each year from 1986 to 1990 in the same form as the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Consumer Affairs to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on 21 March 1990, Official Report, columns 641-46 ; and if he will estimate the value of damage caused to domestic and commercial property by fireworks in each of those years.

Mr. Leigh : It is my intention to publish the figures for injuries caused by fireworks for each year from 1986 to 1990 in a similar form to that given last year. My Department does not keep statistics on the value of damage caused to property by fireworks.


Firework Injuries

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of animals injured by fireworks in each year from 1986 to 1990.

Mrs. Rumbold : The Home Office holds no information on which to make such an estimate. The safety of fireworks in the hands of the consumer is the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shopkeepers have been prosecuted for selling fireworks to minors in each of the past 10 years.

Mr. John Patten : It is an offence under section 31 of the Explosives Act 1875 as amended by the Explosives Act (Age of Purchase etc.) Act 1976 section 1 to sell fireworks to children under the age of 16. Information for England and Wales, which may be incomplete, is given in the table. The Scottish Office Home and Health Department cannot separately identify offences in this category.

Number of defendants prosecuted for selling fireworks to children under 16 years of age England and Wales

  
   
     
   
 
     
 

18 March 1991

Fireworks

Mr. Gregory : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the figures of injuries caused by fireworks in 1990.

Mr. Leigh : According to reports from hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland, 805 people required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks during the three weeks leading up to 5 November 1990 and the few days after, an increase of less than 1 per cent. However, serious injuries fell by 7 per cent. There was an increase in injuries to young adults, but a fall of 12 per cent. in injuries to 13 to 15-year-olds, the group most at risk. There was an increase of 16 per cent. in injuries from bangers and of 10 per cent. for rockets, and sadly, of 12 per cent. from sparklers. Injuries from other fireworks went down. Injuries from incidents in the street were up 7 per cent., but injuries from family firework parties were down 4 per cent. and from small public displays down 17 per cent. There were 110 million fireworks let off in 1989 and we estimate that there were 12 to 15 per cent. more let off in 1990. The detailed breakdown for 1990 and the preceding four years is as follows :

Firework injuries in Great Britain
(4-week period in October-November)   

  
   
   
   
 
     
 


22 May 1991

Fireworks

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his responsibilities under the Fireworks Act 1951 and on his discharging of them.

Mr. Forth : I have been asked to reply.
Our responsibilities under this Act relate to sections 4 and 7 which deal with Health and Safety at work considerations under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974. Additionally, explosives inspectors appointed by the Health and Safety Executive during their visits to factories, magazines or stores have a power under section 1(1) of the Fireworks Act 1951 to take away for testing a sample of fireworks which they consider may present dangers when in the possession of the public. This power is enforced where appropriate and necessary.  The remainder of the provision in the Fireworks Act 1951 are properly the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to require licensing of all fireworks to be used only for properly organised firework displays, put on by trained people, and set up a national training scheme.

Mr. Redwood : The firework industry already has a training scheme for organisers of displays. Like the hon. Member, I want to see fireworks used properly so that there is pleasure rather than tragedy on bonfire night. Requiring licences would cut down the number of good organised displays open to people on bonfire night, but would not of itself guarantee safety.

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent incidents have occurred involving category 4 fireworks ; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards the control of such fireworks.

Mr. Redwood : I do not have a breakdown of accidents for different categories of fireworks. However, category 4--large display--fireworks should not be available in the shops. Most are imported and their import licence prohibits suppliers from selling them through the shops, while for their part United Kingdom manufacturers refrain from doing so.


7 June 1991

Control of Explosives

Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of cases where explosives other than fireworks have caused accidents in the home in the past five years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : Accurate figures are not available. In 1989, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) drew my noble Friend's attention to an unfortunate accident in his constituency when a young boy was badly injured while playing with materials used in the home loading of ammunition.

Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bear the extra cost to the police of carrying out inspections under the proposed control of explosives regulations.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : The cost of operating the statutory enforcement powers to be conferred on the police as a result of the proposed control of explosives regulations, which should not result in a significant additional burden upon police resources, will be met by police funding in the usual way.

Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of cases in the last convenient period where explosives have been stolen from private homes.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : There is no legal requirement to report thefts of explosives. Accurate figures for thefts from private homes are not available, but five are known to have been reported by police since 1969.

Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now postpone the control of explosives regulations to allow increased consultation time for the guidance notes to be fully studied by all interested parties.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : It is not normal practice for the Health and Safety Executive to consult on guidance notes. They represent an explanation of the regulations and advice on compliance. The proposed control of explosives regulations have been subject to full consultation. We see no need for postponement.

Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long has been allowed for consultation on the form of the guidance notes applying to the new proposed control of explosives regulations ; and what factors underlay the decision to set this length of time for consultation.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : No general consultation on draft guidance notes applying to the new proposed control of explosives regulations has taken place. Draft guidance notes were sent to a number of organisations by the Health and Safety Executive on 3 May 1991. Comments were requested by 17 May 1991. This time was set to permit the guidance notes to be published prior to the draft regulations coming into force. However, important comments received after this date could be taken into account if printing schedules permitted.

Mr. Wiggin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the case histories that led to the proposal by the Health and Safety Executive of new control of explosive regulations.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : The new proposed control of explosives regulations are part of the ongoing modernisation of the Explosives Act 1875 and related regulations. This forms part of the Health and Safety Commission's programme of work to review and reform existing legislation. So far a number of new explosives regulations have been made. The draft control of explosives regulations are the latest proposals. These proposals are not driven by particular case histories.



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