National Campaign for Firework Safety

Parliament in 1993

Houses of Lords where stated, otherwise House of Commons


1 April 1993

Firework-related Injuries

Mr. Moss : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many firework-related injuries were referred to hospitals in 1992.

Mr. Leigh : According to reports from accident and emergency units in hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland, 942 people required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks, an increase of 13.25 per cent. over the annual average of 830 injuries since the end of 1987. A breakdown of the figures for 1992 and for the previous four years by region, type of injury and kind of firework involved is being placed today in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. My Department will be discussing with the industry what further steps are to be taken to encourage safer use of fireworks in the future


9 June 1993

Firework Injuries

Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how long after 5 November estimated figures for the number of firework injuries are made available to his Department.

Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 27 May 1993] : Returns are usually received by the Consumer Safety Unit by the end of February the following year.


26 October 1993

Fireworks

Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what standards are required of imported fireworks relative to those manufactured in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : In deciding whether or not to grant an importation licence, the explosives inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive applies the same standards to those required of domestically manufactured fireworks.


24 November 1993

Fireworks

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of fireworks sold in Britain was manufactured abroad for each year since 1980 ; and which countries are the main exporters of fireworks to Britain.

Mr. Needham : The information requested is not available.


25 November 1993

Fireworks

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Britain were injured by fireworks for each year since 1980 ; and what percentage of those injured for each year were under 16 years old.

Mr. McLoughlin : I have been asked to reply.
The number of fireworks injuries recorded at hospital accident and emergency departments from the DTI's annual national fireworks survey, carried out for the 21 days before bonfire night, the night itself, and the seven days following, since 1980, are as follows:

  
   
     
   
 
     
 

1 December 1993

Fireworks

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to keep a record of the countries which export fireworks to Britain ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have been asked to reply.
I am replying as the Minister with responsibility for controls on importation of fireworks. The Health and Safety Executive already keeps records of countries which export fireworks to Britain and will continue to do so.



6 December 1993

Fireworks

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of fireworks sold in Britain was manufactured in Britain in each year since 1980.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have been asked to reply
The information requested is not available


9 December 1993

TRADE AND INDUSTRY


Fireworks

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures his Department currently takes to ensure that fireworks manufactured abroad and imported into Britain meet British safety standards.

Mr. McLoughlin : The Health and Safety Executive--HSE--authorises the importation of fireworks only if they comply with British Standard 7114 : 1988 on firework safety. Also, local trading standards officers use BS7114 as a benchmark, in exercising their powers under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, to ensure that fireworks on sale to the public are safe.

Mr. Redmond : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of firework accident advertising and the number of recorded accidents in 1993; and what was the comparable figure for each of the preceding 10 years.

Mr. McLoughlin : The costs of firework accident prevention work falling on the Department's safety awareness budget and the numbers of fireworks accidents requiring hospital treatment were as follows :

 
   
     
   
 
     
 

The firework accident figures cover accidents occurring in the three weeks preceding 5 November and in the week immediately following it. This is the period of availability of fireworks under the voluntary agreement on retail supply with the fireworks industry. The 1993 statistics will not be available until spring 1994.


10 December 1993

Fireworks

Mr. Redmond : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to review the deregulation of industry, with particular reference to the manufacture of fireworks.

Mr. Neil Hamilton : All regulations having an impact on business are under review as part of a Government-wide initiative to minimise regulatory burdens on business whilst maintaining effective and appropriate safeguards. The manufacture of fireworks is covered by the Explosives Act 1875, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. I understand that the Act is currently under review by the Health and Safety Executive, in consultation with interested parties.


14 December 1993

Fireworks

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what tests are conducted to ascertain the safety standards of fireworks which are manufactured abroad and imported into Britain.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : All fireworks that are imported into Britain are required to comply with the tests set out in British Standard 7114 on firework safety. Additionally, fireworks containing certain compositions : for example, sulphur/chlorate admixtures are prohibited under the Explosives Act 1875.

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment from which countries permission to import fireworks to Britain has been refused on the grounds of safety over the last 15 years.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : No country has been banned from supplying fireworks to Britain. Refusals are not aimed at specific countries but at products, or batches of products, that fail to meet the British Standard 7114 standard or equivalent standard. The onus is on the importer to ensure that the requirements are met. The Health and Safety Executive is not automatically informed of rejected products and, therefore, comprehensive figures are not available.

Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which countries are the major exporters of fireworks to Britain ; what proportion of fireworks sold in Britain were manufactured abroad for each year since 1990 ; if fireworks that have been manufactured abroad have to meet British safety standards ; and which countries which export fireworks to Britain have domestic safety standards which do not meet the safety standards for British manufactured fireworks.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : On the first and the second points raised, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 December, at column 39 , and also to the letter sent to her on 9 December by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade and Technology. All fireworks which are imported into Great Britain have to meet the British Standard 7114 or equivalent standard. We do not have detailed information on the domestic safety standards for fireworks manufactured outside Britain.


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