National Campaign for Firework Safety


Parliament in 1996

House of Lords where stated, otherwise house of commons


Part 1, 15 January 1996 - 10.31 am 20 November 1996



15 January 1996

Red Lion Fireworks

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what destination the three container loads of Red Lion fireworks were re-exported on 23 September, referred to in his answer of 6 November, Official Report, column 602. [8923]

Sir Paul Beresford: The Red Lion fireworks were re-exported on 23 September to Dublin.

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the performance and effectiveness of the Health and Safety Executive regarding the import of dangerous fireworks following the case of Kanash Ltd. and Red Lion. [8922]

Sir Paul Beresford: I consider that the Health and Safety Executive took appropriate enforcement action: Kanash complied fully with all the prohibitions placed upon it, and HSE ensured, subsequently, that all the recalled Red Lion brand fireworks were destroyed.

26 January 1996

NORTHERN IRELAND
Fireworks


Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for changing the law on fireworks. [12486]

Sir John Wheeler: The control of fireworks in Northern Ireland is governed by the Explosives Act 1875 as amended, the Explosives Acts (Northern Ireland) 1924 and 1970, together with the Explosives (Control of Fireworks) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1970. Fireworks in the Province also come under the scope of consumer safety legislation. The 1970 regulations were introduced in special circumstances 25 years ago, and have remained unchanged since then. They were introduced primarily because of the security situation and the real fear that the setting-off of fireworks, particularly so-called "bangers" by young people, could be misinterpreted by security force patrols as terrorist action with potentially serious consequences for the innocent participants. There was also concern at that time about the rising number of accidents and injuries caused by fireworks. There seems little doubt that the present regulations have contributed to the low level of injuries from fireworks in Northern Ireland. However, the present system is inherently bureaucratic and costly because it requires any person who wishes to purchase or use fireworks--with two minor exceptions--to obtain a licence from the Secretary of State. Failure to obtain such a licence is an offence. The present arrangements therefore consume an inordinate amount of police and administrative resources. This situation contrasts sharply with the legal position in the rest of the United Kingdom.
I am aware that there have been criticisms levelled at the present law, to the effect that it was inadequate and should be strengthened. Paradoxically, I have also heard claims that the present legal controls are disproportionate and unnecessary and should therefore be repealed. Whatever the law on fireworks should be, it is clearly essential that it should allow for the efficient use of public resources; pay due regard to public safety yet be no more restrictive than absolutely necessary, and be capable of being effectively applied and not open to abuse.
In the light of all these factors, I asked my officials in late 1994 to undertake a thorough, painstaking review of the law on fireworks, to see whether it was still relevant and effective in today's circumstances and to consider ways in which it might be changed. The proposals, which I am releasing today for wider public consultation, are the outcome of that review. Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library of the House. As the paper points out, before I make any final decisions about what changes are required, I should like to hear from those individuals, organisations and agencies which have an interest in the manufacture, retail sale, safety and use of fireworks in Northern Ireland. To that end, I am writing today to Northern Ireland hon. Members and my officials are similarly writing to the political parties, and other interested groups inviting comment and proposals on what changes to the law they would like to see.
My intention would be to introduce the necessary amending legislation during 1996.


5 February 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Galbraith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to restrict the use of category 3 fireworks to those operating under licence from the local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [13491]

Mr. John M. Taylor: I have no plans to restrict the use of category 3 fireworks to organisers of fireworks displays. Category 3 covers a wide range of firework types, some of which are not suitable for use in small spaces. For this reason, category 3 fireworks are required to be clearly marked as "display" fireworks, carry instructions for use and indicate the safe distance for spectators. This allows people to make choices and purchase fireworks to suit their own circumstances.

13 February 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Burden: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish the firework injury statistics relating to November 1995. [14913]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The fireworks injury statistics are collected from all hospital accident and
emergency departments in Great Britain. As soon as all this information has been received, collated and checked, which should be some time in March, the figures will be published.

1 March 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people were killed or injured as a result of accidents involving fireworks in each year since 1990. [18298]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The number of people killed or who attended an accident and emergency department as a result of accidents involving fireworks in the last five years in Great Britain are as follows:

 
   
 
     
   
 
     
 

13 March 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people were killed or injured as a result of accidents involving fireworks in each year since 1966 by region and firework type. [20206]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The numbers of firework injuries since 1966, in total and by firework type, are given in the figures.
Analyses of firework accidents by region have been published and are available for 1990 and succeeding years until 1994. Copies of these analyses have been deposited in the Library of the House.
For years earlier than 1990, obtaining regional data would incur disproportionate cost.

 
   
 
 
   
 
     
 

Mr. Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the volume of firework sales in each of the last five years. [20208]

Mr. Taylor: The number of individual fireworks sold to consumers throughout Great Britain in the years 1991 to 1995 is estimated by my Department as follows:

 
   
 
     
   
 
     
 

These figures have been drawn from discussions with all parts of the industry.

Mr. Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the latest firework injury statistics; and what evidence he has as to how they relate to the changing volume of fireworks on the market. [20207]

Mr. Taylor: The firework injuries statistics from the 1995 census in Great Britain are not yet available but should be so by the end of this month. Analysis of the relation of accident numbers to sales volume will be possible when the statistics are available.

Mr. Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many firework injuries occurred on new year's eve 1995. [20205]

Mr. Taylor: An estimate of the number of firework accidents occurring on 31 December 1995 would have to be based on data collected in a sample of hospital accident and emergency units by the home accident surveillance system. These data are not yet available.

Mr. Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the latest firework injury statistics for 1995 by region and by firework type. [20204]

Mr. Taylor: Statistics from the 1995 census of fireworks injuries are not yet available but my Department hopes to publish them before the end of this month.


28 March 1996

Firework-related Injuries

Mr. Faber: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many fireworks-related injuries were referred to hospitals in the period around 5 November 1995; and if he will make a statement. [24007]

Mr. John M. Taylor: An analysis of the figures for 1995 and for the previous four years will be placed today in the Library of the House.
Accident and emergency units in hospitals in Great Britain treated 1,530 people for injuries caused by fireworks, a decrease of 3 per cent. over the total reported for 1994. I am heartened that, despite the increases in sales of fireworks in recent times, we have seen a small reduction in the figures this year, and no fatalities. I believe this is in part due to the successful publicity campaign run by my Department and the fireworks industry, and planning for the 1996 fireworks safety campaign is already under way.
Nevertheless, I am concerned that firework injuries remain near 1994 levels. Particularly worrying is that a third of the injuries appear to be due to illegal misuse.
In addition, I am conscious of a number of wider concerns, illustrated by the representations my Department receives on the power and variety of fireworks now available to the general public and, in particular, growing concerns about whether the public should have access to types of fireworks which can cause particular distress to people and animals alike and have the potential to cause serious injury.
In the light of these considerations, and mindful of the review of explosives legislation which the Health and Safety Executive is carrying out and which may have implications for fireworks, I believe the time is now right for a review of the effectiveness of both voluntary and legislative measures dealing with the availability of fireworks. Accordingly, I have asked my officials, working with those in other interested Departments, to put in hand such a review.
I intend that we should seek views about the current controls on fireworks, and on possible ways in which such controls might be improved, from a wide range of interested groups and individuals. These consultations will take place during the summer.


13 May 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to change existing legislation regarding the sale of aerial shell fireworks to the public. [27299]

Mr. John M. Taylor: On 28 March, I announced that my Department would be undertaking a comprehensive review of the voluntary and legislative measures dealing with the availability of fireworks to the public. The review will consider, among other issues, the current classification system of fireworks including the treatment of aerial shells. My Department will seek views from a wide range of interested organisations during the summer and I will then consider possible was in which the current measures might be improved.


20 June 1996

Bomb Bags

Ms Jowell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will reclassify bomb bags as fireworks. [32687]

Mr. John M. Taylor: As stated in my written reply to the hon. Member on 15 May 1996, Official Report, column 494, "bomb bags" are toys and therefore subject to the safety requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995. I can see no advantage therefore in classifying these items to treat them as fireworks, for example for the purposes of the general product safety regulations. The items do not fall within the definition of a firework in British standard 7114:1988.


17 July 1996

Fireworks

7. Ms Church: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the advantages of introducing the draft code of practice for fireworks being drawn up by trading standards officers. [36072]

The Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs (Mr. John M. Taylor): The draft code of practice produced by the fireworks industry will be considered along with other comments I expect to receive in response to the forthcoming discussion document on firework controls.

Ms Church: I thank the Minister for that answer. As a former health and safety inspector and a mother of two young sons, I am horrified by the increase in firework accidents which has followed the Government's deregulation of import controls since 1994. What plans has the Minister to control specific dangerous fireworks, such as aerial shells, which have already claimed one life, before November this year?

Mr. Taylor: I am concerned about fireworks, especially imported ones, and I am especially concerned about the safety of young people. I am considering the draft industry code of practice and I am anxious to support trading standards officers. I will issue a discussion document shortly and will take account of all the responses, especially from trading standards officers. We will run a strong fireworks safety campaign this year.

Mr. Bernard Jenkin: I urge my hon. Friend not to be seduced by the sparkle of the hon. Member for Dagenham (Ms Church). Will my hon. Friend consider what real fireworks would be ignited if we imposed a national minimum wage and the social chapter and if we increased taxation and public expenditure under new Labour?

Mr. Taylor rose--

Madam Speaker: Order. I am sorry, but this question concerns fireworks. The hon. Member for Colchester, North (Mr. Jenkin) was not ingenious enough and we will move on.


29 October 1996

Fireworks

Ms Walley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received concerning the deregulation of fireworks; and if he will make a statement. [80]

Mr. John M. Taylor: My Department receives many representations each firework season on many issues associated with fireworks including the availability of fireworks to the general public, the great variety and power of fireworks now available, the inappropriate use of fireworks and sales to the under-16s. For these reasons, I announced on 28 March 1996 that a review of the statutory and voluntary controls of fireworks would be undertaken. A discussion document was issued on 31 July and comments invited by 11 October. These are now being analysed.

Ms Walley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance he has introduced in respect of fireworks and firework safety; and if he will make a statement. [31]

Mr. Taylor: My Department has provided 5 million safety advice leaflets aimed at those buying fireworks, distributed to the point of sale with the help of the fireworks industry, backed up by 5,000 posters at sites throughout the country. In addition, we have circulated thousands of leaflets to help display organisers and make shopkeepers aware of the law on selling fireworks. Finally, television publicity has been produced and a video on firework safety made available to primary schools on request.

Ms Walley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions relate to the sale of category 4 display fireworks; and if he will make a statement. [30]

Mr. Taylor: British standard 7114:1988 makes it clear that category 4 fireworks are not suitable for use by the general public and should carry a warning to that effect. The General Product Safety Regulations 1994, for which BS 7114 is a relevant standard for assessing the safety of fireworks, make it an offence to supply products, such as category 4 fireworks, to persons in whose hands they are likely to be unsafe.


30 October 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prosecuted in 1995 for offences in connection with the misuse of fireworks. [94]

Mr. Maclean: The information requested is not available centrally.


5 November 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Snape: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what response he has received to his discussion paper on firework control issued in August 1996; what plans he has to introduce new statutory measures to control the use and sale of fireworks; and if he will make a statement; [2273]
(2) what plans he has to review the control and sale of fireworks. [2272]

Mr. John M. Taylor: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 28 October, Official Report, column 112 in which I gave details of the review of fireworks.
A large number of businesses and organisations responded to the public discussion document. As expected, a wide range of views and suggestions were put forward and I am giving careful consideration to all the points made. If it appears that additional measures would be appropriate I will consult on specific proposals early next year.


Fireworks Injuries


16. Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of injuries by fireworks in the last year for which figures are available. [625]

Mr. Horam: This information is not available. However, information requirements are kept under continuous review.


6 November 1996

Fireworks


Mr. Hawksley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he took to address issues related to fireworks in October. [2625]

Mr. John M. Taylor: I have undertaken a safety awareness campaign, consisting of 5 million safety advice leaflets distributed to the point of sale, as well as thousands of leaflets advising display organisers and retailers about handling fireworks. National television adverts and posters have also been used to reinforce the safety messages, and a safety video has been made available on request to primary schools.
In addition, my Department is undertaking a review of the controls on fireworks.


Oral Answers to Questions
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Firework Injuries


1. Mr. Jamieson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent discussions he has had with his officials about the latest firework injury statistics. [522]

The Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs (Mr. John M. Taylor): I discussed the 1995 firework injury statistics with my officials when formulating this year's extensive firework safety campaign.
I hope that it is in order for me to extend my condolences to the families of those killed and injured during the firework season. Nothing that I say can redeem those tragedies, and I will not trespass further on private grief.

Mr. Jamieson: Does the Minister now accept that the folly of deregulating the import controls on dangerous fireworks in 1993 has led to the doubling of firework injuries in the past few years, the serious injury of a man last night and the deaths of Steven Timcke and David Hattersley, a private primary school head teacher? Will the Minister now turn his condolences into action and ban those lethal bombs immediately?

Mr. Taylor: The import licensing regime was replaced in 1993, but the Health and Safety Executive has said that the single authorisation scheme that was put in its place in no way weakens safety controls. We have been running a thorough-going review of firework regulations since July, and nothing will be excluded from the consultation and analysis of the responses that we receive. If any constructive observations come from Opposition Members, I shall take them into account also.

Mr. Heppell: I thank the Minister for expressing his condolences--especially for one of my constituents, Dale Mitchell, a 10-year-old boy who died because of the misuse of fireworks--but consultation was no substitute for action in Dale's case. Will the Minister now take concrete action to ensure that only people aged over 18 are allowed to buy dangerous fireworks?

Mr. Taylor: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments, and for their tone. At risk of saying this twice, our review is thorough-going and extensive; nothing will be excluded from it. The review has been running since 31 July, and we will get it right.

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: May I express the condolences of the whole House to the relatives of those who have suffered death from fireworks? Is the Minister aware that the Health and Safety Executive got it wrong, and that aerial shell fireworks have killed three people since it expressed those views; that he was wrong to reject Labour's call in the House on 17 July to tackle those deadly items; that the Government's abolition of import controls on dangerous fireworks has been a deregulation disaster; and that action was needed before bonfire night, not after? Will the Minister now co-operate with Labour to speed legislation through the House to reinstate proper controls and reverse the disastrous deregulation?

Mr. Taylor: It is worth pointing out that we have run probably the most extensive safety campaign on record this year, with 5 million leaflets, 5,000 poster sites and more media communications than we could count. The system of authorisation that is operated by the Health and Safety Executive applies both to home-manufactured fireworks and to imports. Importers who do not seek authorisation, and who do not demonstrate that quality control systems are in place, break the law. That is a criminal offence. Trading standards officers, meanwhile, concentrate on wholesalers and retailers. We have a good system in operation, but we are prepared to review it root and branch.


Fireworks

16. Mr. French: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the balance of payments position in the fireworks industry. [543]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The crude deficit with all countries for 1995 was £11.6 million.

Mr. French: Does my hon. Friend accept that Britain is exporting an increasing number of fireworks that are safe and reliable products, but importing an increasing number that turn out not to be safe and reliable? Notwithstanding the safety checks about which my hon. Friend spoke in answer to an earlier question, will he consider increasing the sanctions against importing companies that do not satisfy themselves adequately about the quality of the products that they import?

Mr. Taylor: In the spirit of the root-and-branch review that I am conducting, the answer to my hon. Friend's question is yes.


7 November 1996

Fireworks

13. Mr. Heppell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents which involved fireworks have been reported to the police in each year since 1992. [927]

Mr. Sackville: The police become involved in a wide variety of incidents involving fireworks, such as illegal sale, misuse and nuisance and serious incidents of fire or injury. The statistics on injuries caused by fireworks are collected from hospitals by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Mr. Heppell: I am sure that the Minister will want to join the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs in expressing his condolences following the death of a constituent of mine, 10-year-old Dale Mitchell, who died because of the misuse of fireworks. Given that a third of firework injuries are not accidents but are caused by illegal misuse, why are there not more prosecutions for illegal misuse, and why are more people not prosecuted for supplying fireworks to under-age children?

Mr. Sackville: I certainly join the hon. Gentleman in condoling with all who have been injured. There are restrictions, and there is a wealth of education each year in an attempt to avoid such incidents. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs said yesterday, he is conducting a root-and-branch inquiry into the whole issue. There is a good deal of evidence that changes are needed: every injury is an injury too many.

Mr. Piers Merchant (Beckenham): Will my right hon. Friend find time for a debate on firework safety, so that the House can assist my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs in the review of firework regulations to which he referred yesterday? I ask that because of the plea in my local paper, the Bromley and Hayes News Shopper, by the brother of Steve Tinker, the man who was tragically killed last Saturday in a firework accident.

Mr. Newton: I am afraid that I cannot promise a debate, although my hon. Friend might like to consider the Wednesday morning possibilities. I assure him that my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs is well aware of the widely expressed concerns about the availability of certain sorts of firework and is reviewing firework controls and the availability of bangers.


7 November 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Snape: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Fire Brigades Union about the control and sale of fireworks; and if he will publish his reply. [2274]

Mr. John M. Taylor: I received a considered and detailed response from the Fire Brigades Union covering all the issues set out in my Department's discussion document. I have not responded to each organisation on the comments they submitted, but all the views and suggestions received will be given careful consideration.


Fireworks

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what powers exist for (a) Customs and Excise and (b) other authorities to prevent the importation of illegal fireworks through ports into Northern Ireland. [2495]

Sir John Wheeler: Where Customs and Excise officials know that cargoes include fireworks, they check for compliance with the British standard and routinely advise the Health and Safety Executive and the Royal Ulster Constabulary. If, however, random searches at ports reveal fireworks which have not been listed as such, officials detain them and notify the RUC.
Fireworks coming into ports in Northern Ireland must comply with the Explosives Act 1875, as amended, and they must be authorised and appear on the "List of Authorised Explosives" issued by the Health and Safety Executive. They must also be classified in accordance with the Classification and Labelling of Explosives Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 and it is an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Order 1978 not to comply with these regulations.
The Placing on the Market and Supervision of Transfers of Explosives (Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 give an inspector appointed under article 21 of the Health and Safety at Work Order 1978 the power to seize and detain, in accordance with section 74 of the Explosives Act 1875, fireworks which he has reasonable cause to believe will be unlawfully acquired, used or dealt in.

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from the RUC about its powers to deal with fireworks in Northern Ireland. [2496]

Sir John Wheeler: When consulted on the draft Explosives (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 the Chief Constable indicated that he would wish to have various, additional powers to enter, stop, search and seize in relation to offences committed under the new regulations.
The Secretary of State gave this request the most careful consideration, but was not persuaded that such additional powers, which Parliament has reserved solely for the prevention and detection of serious and violent crime, were wholly appropriate to offences committed under the fireworks legislation.


18 November 1996

Fireworks

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the importation of illegal fireworks into Northern Ireland in the last three years; what seizures have been made; what categories of illegal fireworks have been found; and what was the country of manufacture. [2494]

Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 7 November 1996]: The Chief Constable has advised me that police made 93 seizures in 1994, 31 in 1995, and that 100 seizures have been made so far this year. Illegal fireworks recovered were from categories 1 (indoor), 2 (garden) and 3 (display) and had been manufactured in China, France, Germany or Austria.
Quantities of illegal fireworks seized in 1996 have amounted to approximately 34 tonnes, a considerable increase on the 1 to 2 tonnes of previous years.
My officials, in consultation with the RUC and others, will be considering what lessons are to be learnt from this year's experience.


20 November 1996

House of Commons
Wednesday 20 November 1996
The House met at half-past Nine o'clock
PRAYERS
[Madam Speaker in the Chair]


Firework Safety

Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.--[Mr. Bates.]

9.34 am
Mr. Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue. It is only two weeks since the headlines were full of news about firework-related tragedies. On 28 October, a 10-year-old boy, Dale Mitchell from Nottingham, died through the illegal misuse of fireworks. On 1 November, David Hattersley, a head teacher from High Wycombe, was fatally injured during his school's firework display. On 2 November, Stephen Timcke, a City trader from Kent, was killed in front of his two young sons, aged five and seven, at a private bonfire party.
The headlines may have gone, but the consequences of those tragedies live on for the families and friends of those who died, as they do for all those injured by fireworks. That is why the House is under an obligation not to wait for the next tragedy and the next headline, whether it comes next month or next year at bonfire night, but to take action now to improve firework safety.
I secured an Adjournment debate on the same subject in November last year, when I raised questions about the sale of fireworks to the under-16s and the importing of dangerous fireworks. The sale of fireworks to the under-16s is still an issue. In 1995, 825 of the 1,500 firework-related injuries affected the under-16s. We still need to take more effective action to ensure that children are not able to buy fireworks and that a responsible adult is in charge wherever fireworks are used. The Government's zeal for deregulation has not helped us to achieve that, but that is not the issue that I want to spend time on today.
I want to consider firework imports in depth. Last year, I told the House that shipments of Chinese fireworks containing illegal substances had been allowed on to the market in the United Kingdom. Only in October this year, more than a year after authorisation was first given for those fireworks, were the last container loads tracked down. They had been on the market in this country throughout that time.
The Government had unnecessarily scrapped import licences for fireworks in 1993. The Health and Safety Executive's actions in authorising firework imports at the time of last year's debate left a good deal to be desired. Since that debate, its performance in scrutinising import applications has improved considerably, but the procedures are not in place to check that the products for which importers apply and receive authorisation are the same as the products that come into the country and find their way on to the market, and to ensure that those products are properly labelled.
Example after example can be quoted. There was a raid only yesterday--as prosecution is pending, it would be inappropriate to say where it happened--involving a 40 ft container of fireworks that had found its way into a lock-up garage in this country. We must wait to see how that prosecution turns out, but we must ask why nobody knew that that container had come into the country and why it was checked on only once it had found its way to the lock-up garage. Why did we not know? Why did the authorities not know in advance?
Perhaps an even more tragic example is that of Stephen Timcke. He was killed by a mortar shell, which was probably not meant to be on general sale in this country. It was imported from China and all the instructions were in Chinese. He died at a private bonfire party, in front of his two sons. All sorts of questions are raised. Who sold Mr. Timcke the firework? How did the vendor get hold of it? How did it get into the country and--perhaps even more chilling--how many of those fireworks are still in circulation and in the shops to this day?
Investigations are continuing and it is right that they should, but it is on that matter that I seek my first assurance from the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs and the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, the hon. Member for Croydon, Central (Sir P. Beresford). Will he and his hon. Friend assure me that the Health and Safety Executive will not grant authorisation unless arrangements are in place to ensure that each consignment of imported fireworks is logged at the port of entry, transported directly from the port--sealed--to secure storage at a recognised site and routinely tested before it goes on the market? Unless that is done, authorisation is fine, but there is no way of checking whether what has been authorised is what finds its way into this country and on to the market. The results are tragic and only too plainly seen in the death of Stephen Timcke. It is within the Minister's power to do something about that and I ask for that assurance.
Secondly, on categorisation of the different sorts of fireworks, the Minister began a review of firework safety regulations in March and I welcome his initiative, which was useful. When he takes into account the responses to that review, I hope that he will consider removing bangers from general sale. I met him a couple of weeks ago to discuss that. With 316 injuries last year alone, more accidents involve bangers than any other type of firework. They are easy to abuse, have no visual appeal, are a nuisance to people and frighten animals. They should be taken off the market. I strongly urge the Minister to agree that course when he considers the results of the review.
Some measures cannot wait until the review is completed and the results known. Stephen Timcke was killed by a mortar shell, as was David Hattersley, the head teacher from High Wycombe. The signs are that Mr. Hattersley acquired the shell lawfully. It was probably a category 3 firework, for use in large outdoor spaces. Mortar shells are freely on sale. What are they? I can reassure you, Madam Speaker, that the one I have here is a dummy and there is no danger to the House. It is a dummy of a 4 in mortar shell. It looks like a lethal weapon and we know that, in the cases of Stephen Timcke and David Hattersley, that is precisely what it was.
Mr. Hattersley suffered the most appalling facial injuries when the mortar shell exploded in his face--injuries from which he died without regaining consciousness the following day. Such a firework has no place on general sale in this country. It has no place on sale now--we cannot wait until after the review, until next year, or next bonfire night. I do not want to see any more tragedies such as were suffered by Stephen Timcke or David Hattersley, and they were not the first, as someone in Yorkshire was killed by a mortar shell two years ago.
Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, the Secretary of State has the power to ban by order, for a maximum of 12 months, the supply of anything that is considered unsafe to the general public. He does not have to wait for consultation or for the review. I imagine that 12 months will be long enough for the Minister to complete his review and to consider all the other matters, and long enough for changes to be introduced--either by this Government or by the next Labour Government. Will the Minister assure me that he will not allow lethal items of equipment such as mortar shells to remain on general sale, so that we can be confident that there will be no more accidents, no more Stephen Timckes and no more David Hattersleys, while the review is taking place? The public demand action, and I hope that the Minister will assure me that he will take the action that it is in his power to take, to remove such shells from public sale.
Thirdly, we should consider training, in particular the training of those who use powerful category 3 fireworks, such as the one that I have here, which are on sale to the general public but which should not be, or category 4 fireworks--the category that I should like such fireworks to be put into. Those are fireworks that are not meant to be on general sale to the public, but which are meant for use in displays. According to British standards, category 4 fireworks are not meant to be on sale to the general public, but no clear regulations are in place to specify who is allowed to buy or use them. There are no real restrictions on their purchase or operation. As a result, someone without any formal training can buy and use category 4 fireworks, setting him or herself up to run a public display. Surely that has to end.
My third request to the Minister--again, it is entirely within his power to agree--is that he should establish straight away a national training scheme for those running firework displays and using category 4 fireworks. Will he ensure that no one can run such a display without appropriate and recognised training? For that measure to be effective, we need to control the places through which category 4 fireworks are distributed. Will the Minister ensure that they are on sale only from licensed premises, so that we can see where they come in, where they are stored, who is entitled to sell them, to whom they are sold and who is allowed to operate them?
The Minister might say that that is complicated and difficult to do, but it is not. A model for exactly the sort of scheme that I am describing exists in Canada. Support for such a mandatory scheme comes from a wide range of organisations: trading standards officers and departments have voiced their support, as has the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Consumers Association and the National Campaign for Firework Safety, to name but a few. Responsible members of the fireworks industry have also voiced their support for such a scheme, because they know that it is not in their interests for public safety to be put at risk and for people, who frankly do not have the skills, to buy and use powerful category 4 fireworks. That situation reflects badly on the industry, and responsible members of the industry want it to end.
The Fire Service College has said that it has the skills and is willing to run a training scheme. It only remains for the Minister to give the go-ahead. Will he introduce a requirement for such training and for the licensing of retailers of category 4 fireworks, so that we can be sure that items of equipment such as the mortar shell that I am holding are not used by unskilled or untrained people?
I met the Minister the week before bonfire night, to discuss the Department of Trade and Industry's firework safety publicity campaign, to raise again some of the matters that I raised in my Adjournment debate last November, and to consider the review that he is undertaking and some of the issues arising from it. He received me with the utmost courtesy, as he always does, and I believe that he has the best intentions on firework safety, but we need more than good intentions and reviews: we need action to back those up and prevent further tragedies.
First, will the Minister and the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, who is also involved through the Health and Safety Executive, tighten controls on the importation of dangerous fireworks? That can be done only by checking at the port of entry, transporting the fireworks directly to secure storage and routinely testing them before they reach the market.
Secondly, will the Minister put a temporary prohibition order on sale to the public of mortar shells and similar powerful fireworks that, by any standard, should be in category 4, while the review is undertaken, so that we can be sure that the public are safe in the meantime?
Thirdly, will the Minister establish a national training scheme for anyone who wants to run displays and operate category 4 fireworks, and ensure that those more powerful fireworks are available only through licensed premises? If he is prepared to do that, I am sure that he will have the support of all Opposition Members.
For goodness' sake, let us not wait until the next bonfire night, witness more tragedy and injuries, and ask ourselves why we did not act when we had the chance. Let the memory of David Hattersley and Stephen Timcke be our spur to taking the actions that are necessary to ensure that the public are able to enjoy fireworks in safety and that we avoid any more tragedies of the kind that we have witnessed this year.


9.52 am
Mr. Chris Davies (Littleborough and Saddleworth): I congratulate the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on securing this debate. To my knowledge, this is the second time that he has initiated a debate on the subject. The previous one was on 1 November 1995, and perhaps it is appropriate that this one takes place after 5 November, because there may be a tendency for views to be heightened and emotional when constituents are expressing concern in the run-up to bonfire night and for the emotion to fade away in the aftermath. So we are more able to consider matters rationally and seriously in the cold light of late November. The time is appropriate also because the Government's consultation paper is still on the stocks. The closing date for submissions was 16 October, but I hope that the Department of Trade and Industry will take into account the points made in this debate. I welcome the review.
Like the majority of people in Britain, I enjoy fireworks. I have taken part in displays in a family environment since my earliest years and I would not want to deny such pleasures to others. Fireworks are extremely popular in Saddleworth in my constituency, and the Round Table and other local groups take every opportunity to organise displays of a high standard. I hope that my constituents and I will continue to share that pleasure.
My first concern is about the period during which fireworks should be on general sale. The guidelines agreed some years ago say that fireworks should be on sale for only three weeks before 5 November and a few days after. My impression is that those guidelines are becoming loose and that fireworks are on sale earlier than they should be.
This year, fireworks day seemed to go on for a long time, perhaps because 5 November fell mid-week and people increasingly prefer to have family parties on weekends rather than on the due date, and because the weather on 5 November was not pleasant in many parts of the country. I received calls the following week saying, "When is this going to stop? I can't let the cat and dog out because every time it gets dark there are fireworks going off all over the place." The matter needs to be reviewed.
People increasingly use fireworks on occasions other than bonfire night--to celebrate anniversaries or birthdays, for example. We must consider what special provisions should be made to ensure that fireworks are available to those who want them for legitimate purposes, but not so freely available as to extend to the whole year the period during which annoyance is caused to ordinary individuals.
The hon. Member for Northfield referred briefly to bangers. Three weeks or so before 5 November this year, I received a call from the estate management board of Holts village in Oldham, expressing concern about the number of bangers being thrown around the streets and put through letter boxes by youths, causing anguish to elderly people and others. I had another call from someone who had seen youths throwing bangers out of the back window of a double-decker bus.
There exists in legislation a maximum penalty of £5,000 for throwing a firework in a street or public place, but I have never yet heard of its being implemented by a court. The small banger is increasingly being treated disdainfully and used by youths as if it were a home firework. Perhaps that is reflected in the fact that more than 50 per cent. of all accidents with fireworks involve children under the age of 16.
I raised the matter with the managing director of Standard Fireworks and Brocks International last year. In his reply, he said:
"I well understand the problems caused to the general public and in particular the elderly through the misuse of bangers and other noisy fireworks."
In a revealing and honest statement, which is unlikely to boost his marketing effort, he said:
"The Standard Fireworks banger is the most ineffective banger on sale in the UK today. Our sales have continuously been falling, from a high of 7 million to 2.5 million last year."
I acknowledge the fact that Standard Fireworks has been closely involved with the Government in reviewing guidelines and codes of conduct, and I approve of the attitude that lies behind what the managing director said--his letter went on to express his concern about the importation of much more powerful bangers--but the simple, cheap single banger is increasingly being used as a weapon and as a means of disturbing and frightening people in many estates and communities throughout the country. It is perhaps time, as with ripraps, crackerjacks, squibs or whatever, to introduce a complete ban on the sale of bangers.
Most accidents involving fireworks affect young people aged under 16. How do they get hold of such fireworks? It is illegal for fireworks to be sold to people under 16. When the matter was raised in the 1 November debate last year, the hon. Member for Northfield--I remember that I was unable to make an intervention--mentioned that trading standards officers were concerned about how regulations had been changed, because that had made it more difficult for them to enforce the law. The Government said that the existing regulations and laws gave trading standards officers the authority to enforce the rules. However, in practice, trading standards officers still find it difficult. They admit that it is possible to carry out enforcement, but it is more cumbersome, bureaucratic and time consuming and they have other things to do with their limited resources than concentrate on that one problem.
In trying to reduce bureaucracy for small businesses by scrapping the regulations concerned, the Government threw out the baby with the bathwater. Governments are never willing to accept that mistakes have been made, but I hope that in this case they will recognise the due concerns of trading standards officers. I spoke to trading standards officers in Oldham and Rochdale only an hour ago and they said that, against their will, they had made no effort to prevent the sale of fireworks by shops to children under 16, but had referred the matter to the police. They did that because they believe that the regulations are too cumbersome and need revision. I ask the Minister to ensure that he takes the opportunity of the consultation to listen to their concerns and review the regulations. I hope that by this time next year, more simplicity will have been introduced into procedures.
The point of the hon. Member for Northfield that mortar shells are classified as class 3 fireworks was well made. Mortar bombs and the like have instructions that state that they should be used at least 25 m from the public and are clearly inappropriate for most domestic gardens. They should be reclassified as class 4 fireworks.
There is also the increasing use of fireworks to celebrate new year's eve. I go out of my house at midnight on that night and from all the hills around me I can hear fireworks going off and see lights in the sky. The crucial problem with the use of fireworks on that day, which makes it different from bonfire night, is that on 5 November, most fireworks are let off between 6 pm and 8 pm; those on new year's eve are let off at midnight. It is likely that people who let fireworks off on bonfire night will be sober, but on new year's eve, they are likely to be intoxicated. If I had a simple answer, I would give it, but I ask the Minister to take that point into consideration in the consultation paper. I hope that he finds a means of tackling the problem and reducing the likelihood of accidents.

10.3 am
Mr. Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on introducing the debate so meticulously. He has been through the detail, and I shall not bore the House by repeating his sensible suggestions. I shall merely reinforce his points and hope that the Minister comes back quickly and strongly on everything that he said.
I must declare an interest as the Member for Huddersfield. Not in my constituency, but nearby in Colne Valley is Standard Fireworks, the largest producer of fireworks left in Britain. It is an excellent company that employees several hundred people and is renowned in the House and outside for its interest in safety and its good-quality fireworks. I congratulate the company, the last of the big fireworks companies in Britain, on maintaining high standards of production and of regulation of its activities and on its tremendous work in putting its own money into safety and in trying to ensure that people can enjoy a traditional holiday. One does not need a day off to have a holiday. Bonfire night is a holiday tradition that goes back to 1605. I do not know when fireworks were first let off, but it was long ago. It is deep in our tradition.
I resent the killjoy tendency in Britain whereby when there is a crisis or accident, there is an emotional spasm that says that everything must stop. I share the deep feeling of sympathy of my hon. Friend the Member for Northfield for the people who died recently as a result of fireworks, and for their families. I feel strongly about the way in which their deaths were caused. However, we have to balance that with the fact that fireworks are a traditional way of celebrating 5 November, Guy Fawkes' day or plot night, as we call it in the north. I do not think that it should be stopped. Fireworks can be safe if they are good fireworks, properly regulated and let off sensibly.
There are, of course, dangers. If people who are not adult or experienced enough let off fireworks, there can be tragic consequences. But they can be overcome. The hon. Member for Littleborough and Saddleworth (Mr. Davies) mentioned the honesty of the chairman and managing director of Standard Fireworks about his bangers. He has been equally frank with me. It is a part of his market, but I am sure that he shares my view that if there were no banger market, Standard could cope with it. Most of us know that the real enjoyment of 5 November and of fireworks is the colour and beauty of a firework display. My view is heartfelt because I have an interest and because I know that there is a tradition that is precious to many millions of people. I want that to continue.
I am going to say some hard political words. The Conservative party is the great party of deregulation. Since I have been in the House, it has shouted it from the rooftops. The high priests of deregulation, whether Front Bench or Back Bench, cannot wait to tell us that the state should not get involved in anything. They want total deregulation. Let the buyer beware, let people buy anything they like and let off anything they like. Fireworks are a classic example of what happens when that ruthless attitude to deregulation comes home.
The Minister will not like me saying that two people died this firework weekend because of deregulation. They died partly because of the deregulatory attitude of the Government, who have weakened controls against the best advice of the industry in Britain and of senior staff at Standard Fireworks. They said that we should not deregulate and that if we did, we would get all sorts of dangerous rubbish from China and elsewhere and accidents would occur. That was self-interested, because if accidents happen, people say that fireworks should not be let off at all and that we should end fireworks. I have been involved in the matter for some years. I have heard the industry and my hon. Friend the Member for Northfield say that deregulation will spoil it for everyone. Yes, it will; deregulation has spoilt the lives of families whose loved ones have either died or been dreadfully injured by fireworks that have come in from abroad.
The incident was not isolated. I went to my village and someone in a shop showed me a firework costing £60, which was about the size of a birthday cake. It was not for a special occasion or display, but for anyone to buy. Trading standards officers do not have the power, effectiveness or will that they used to have. A parallel can be drawn with the sale of alcohol: a survey of who could buy alcohol in my area was conducted in recent weeks. The police sent a nice letter to all off-licences asking them to stop selling alcohol to young people. The police said that it should be done the easy way, and that there was no need to be heavy--the young purchasers should be identified and the sales stopped. But the campaign did not seem to be effective.
The police sent 14-year-old boys into off-licences: 20 out of 31 served those boys with alcohol--in two cases, they were served by a 13-year-old and a 12-year-old. As I went round my area before 5 November, I found that precisely the same happens with fireworks: very young children get hold of them and the deregulatory climate seems to be responsible.
The situation is bad enough, with deregulation and the people who have been injured or killed as a result. But, worse, two years ago there was a death in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe)--he will speak in more detail about that. The coroner spoke directly to the Minister involved and said that such evil fireworks should not be brought in. For two years, the Government have done nothing about those fireworks, which have come into this country and killed people.
I have spoken strongly about the subject. I do not want to be a killjoy; I want our lovely festival to continue; I want proper curbs. I have no special mandate for bangers, which are misused, and I have no special case to make for the extension of the time for using fireworks. The traditional period in our country is quite short--about three weeks--and I see nothing wrong with that period being strictly enforced in terms of the sale of fireworks, apart from their use in displays.
Some of us who were holding meetings in the House of Commons on 5 November almost thought that we were under attack. I had booked a Room overlooking the river, and there was a fantastic firework display on the launch just outside the House of Lords. It was a magnificent, safe and enjoyable event, which showed how fireworks can be used.
If the Government continue their deregulatory, care-for-no-one attitude, more people will die. If the Minister does not take action before next year, other people will die. But by then there will be a Labour Government who will ensure that firework displays are safe.

10.14 am
Mr. Bill Michie (Sheffield, Heeley): I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on giving us the opportunity to debate this important issue.
I want to start my speech where my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) left off. We are not here as killjoys to try to stop people enjoying themselves or to try to stop various organisations and religious bodies celebrating holy days--that is nonsense. The Firework Safety Bill and the debate are about the effect that fireworks can have on ordinary citizens who have no argument with people enjoying themselves, but are merely asking for some consideration. Animal owners also need consideration, but I shall come to that subject later. This is a debate not about how to stop people enjoying themselves, but about how we can find a way of ensuring that people can still celebrate while protecting those who are greatly affected by fireworks.
No one doubts the fact that fireworks give pleasure. I thoroughly enjoy attending the displays at my local park. It is worth congratulating local authorities and other organisations that put on tremendous displays, in safety, and that often educate children on the dangers of fireworks, how to place them safely and how to stand away. People should be congratulated on holding firework displays and educating others.
Safety is a priority, particularly for organised bonfires. As my hon. Friends have already said, how can it be safe for someone to let off a £20 or £60 shell in their back garden if he is meant to stand 25 yd away from the firework? Many back gardens are not 25 yd long, so people would have to stay in the house--the firework would no doubt blow all the windows out. One firework, which must have misfired, came over my fence and exploded above the lawn. I was amazed that none of my windows were blown in. All the fire alarms, burglar alarms and car alarms went crazy. Who knows what would have happened if anyone had been within a couple of yards of that firework--admittedly, it misfired. Some fireworks have a shell casing, which is almost like shrapnel when they explode. We need to regulate such fireworks, some of which are powerful.
Most people enjoy the visual aspect of firework displays, which are fine if they are beautiful spectacles with a few crackles, but I see nothing visually beautiful about one big thud that frightens half the population to death and is then over. There is a difference between the two types of firework displays. I have doubts about how we can regulate the use of most fireworks. By banning bangers, we have gone a long way to answer most of the complaints raised in our surgeries.
I received a typical letter from an old lady in my constituency. She wrote:
"Dear Mr. Michie,

I sit in my home this evening, and feel as if I have been living in a war torn area for well over a month now".
She goes on to describe the loud explosions and the difficulties that she faces. She mentions the advice given by Rolf Harris on his programme when he told people to ensure that they kept their animals in on bonfire night as it was likely to be distressing for them. Keeping a dog or a cat inside for one or two nights is one thing, but how can someone keep a pet in for about two months, which seems to be the period in Sheffield? At the end of her letter, the old lady makes a plea. She asks:
"Yes, people have rights and some things are difficult to enforce, but could you please help us, speak up for us, the fed up majority, and quieten the minority that disturb the peace over a sickeningly long period of time?"
The letter finishes, "Help". I know that, like that old lady, some live in blocks with other old people, and I have talked to them. They are terrified at the sheer noise, which affects them psychologically.
I do not know whether we can restrict the time for selling. As my constituent said, that may be difficult because we have to consider religious groups that celebrate at different times of the year. It may be difficult to restrict the time during which fireworks can be used--it might be a good idea if they are not used after midnight--but it would not be too difficult to control the sale of fireworks. That would not stop people hoarding them and setting them off at the wrong time, but it would stop what is happening in a shop not far from where I live. It is open many hours a day, including Sundays, and sells nothing but fireworks for months on end. It encourages people to make impulse buys. If a child walks past the shop and realises that he has enough spending money to buy some fireworks, he will go in and purchase them. Restricting the times and dates on which fireworks can be sold may help to ease the problem.
As I said earlier, taking bangers out of the equation is certainly the most effective way of helping the majority of people. Old people and animals live in fear. Unfortunately, I no longer have a dog--mine died of old age many years ago. It was a sheep dog of a nervous disposition, to say the least, and for bonfire night and perhaps the night after, I used to get a tranquilliser for him from the vet. It did not actually knock him out but, for some unknown reason, he used to walk about as though he had gone deaf, so it obviously worked. The problem is, however, that it is not possible to keep giving animals tranquillisers for two months or more, just because some great firework might go off. There are therefore limits to what animal lovers can do to protect their animals, just as there are limits to what old people can do to protect their nerves.
The onus remains on the House to find some way of restricting bangers or, hopefully, banning them altogether. We must take action on behalf of those who do not want to kill the joys and pleasures of others, but who want only a little peace and quiet. That way all of us, not just a minority, can have a happy life.

10.20 am
Mr. David Hinchliffe (Wakefield): I am grateful for the opportunity to raise my concerns relating to the circumstances surrounding the death in November 1994 of my constituent, Mr. Roger Robinson. His case has already been mentioned by my hon. Friends the Members for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) and for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman).
In November 1994, Mr. Robinson organised a display for elderly people at a care home in my constituency.  He was killed as the result of the explosion of an aerial shell, which was exactly of the sort described by my hon. Friend the Member for Northfield. The inquest report indicates that
"The firework involved was 4 inch in diameter and is launched out of a mortar tube."
The evidence given at the inquest stated that
"the shell had a weight of almost 15 ounces, was intended to reach a height of 800 feet before ejecting its pyrotechnic effects, and would have been travelling at a speed of 225 mph when it came out of the top of the tube"--
and hit my constituent in the face.
The Minister is aware that I have been in correspondence with him, his Department and his predecessor about the circumstances of Mr. Robinson's death. I was especially concerned to learn from the Minister's predecessor--the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans)--who wrote to me on 11 August 1995, that import controls on fireworks exercised by the Health and Safety Executive had been abolished from 1 December 1993.
The Minister is well aware of the implications of that Government decision, which was presumably taken as part of the deregulation exercise mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield. The Minister will also be aware that there have been extensive representations from trading standards officers in various parts of the country, not least in West Yorkshire. Here, I commend the West Yorkshire trading standards officers; we are fortunate in our area to have some of the most effective and articulate officers in the country. They wrote to the Government stating that those aerial shells were unsuitable for the public and should be banned from public sale.
The Minister will be aware that the inquest into the death of Mr. Robinson was resumed on 30 November 1995. The coroner for my area is my namesake, Mr. David Hinchliff. At the end of the inquest, he made a specific statement, which I shall quote briefly. He stated to the court that
"pursuant to Rule 43 of the Coroners Rules,"
he intended
"to draw the attention of this fatality to the appropriate authorities, which in this case will be the Department of Trade and Industry."
Mr. Hinchliff added that he was acting
"in the hope that a fatality or fatalities of this nature can in the future be avoided, that is the very least that I feel that I can do in this situation".
I have a copy of the detailed letter that he subsequently sent to the Minister on 3 January 1996. The letter makes his feelings clear. It states:
"My recommendation must therefore be that Aerial Shells of all sizes should not be available to the general public, and that they should be sold only to people who have undergone appropriate theoretical and practical training."
I have a copy of the Minister's acknowledgement of that letter.
I know the Minister reasonably well and have always found him to be a decent and honourable man who is competent in his work. He always receives me well when we meet. However, I have to ask what has been going on--Mr. Robinson's death occurred in 1994 and the circumstances have been reported to his Department on more than one occasion. Needless deaths have occurred that might have been avoided. I do not want to make a political point--the issue is too serious for that--but deregulation appears to have overtaken common sense and the sad consequences are there for all to see.
I want to repeat the point made by other hon. Members, particularly by my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield. I know of Standard Fireworks and I and my family have used its products over many years. It is a company of repute and I want to endorse the comments made by hon. Members to the effect that the industry wants not deregulation, but more regulation. Yesterday, I met Mr. John Woodhead of Standard Fireworks, who spoke in detail of his concerns about the implications for the industry of the sort of incident that I have described. Clearly, such incidents are not in the industry's interests and Mr. Woodhead wants more regulation, especially import controls--precisely the opposite of the Government's action in 1993. He wants there to be training along the lines described by several hon. Members this morning. Judging by our conversation, I am fairly certain that Mr. Woodhead would have no objection to bangers being banned altogether.
I have received representations from constituents similar to those mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Michie) and the hon. Member for Littleborough and Saddleworth (Mr. Davies). People have had their lives made a misery in the period around bonfire night and they ask me why we have to have bangers. Would not having bangers really cause great difficulties? Would it really impact on the joy of bonfire night?
I am not a killjoy--in my childhood, bonfire night was one of the highlights of the year. In my area, we started preparing in August--chumping, we called it, which meant getting the wood in for the bonfire. It was a great event and I want that to continue. I do not see why we need to suffer the nuisance arising from bangers. I vividly remember the consequences for the guide dog belonging to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett). As the direct result of being frightened by a firework, the dog was run over and had to stop working for my hon. Friend, who had to get another guide dog.

The Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs (Mr. John M. Taylor): Comparing notes with the hon. Gentleman on our respective childhoods, I always found the bonfire more fun than the fireworks. I should like to thank him for his kind personal remarks about me and engage him not on the subject of guide dogs but on an earlier point. He referred twice to the fact that the import licensing regime was overturned in 1993. For the record, I want to make it clear that that regime was, in fact, replaced in 1993. The Health and Safety Executive will say that the single authorisation scheme that was put in place of the import licensing regime in no way weakens safety controls. One regime was replaced by another, not simply removed.

Mr. Hinchliffe: All I would say to the Minister is that I examined the issue in some detail and discussed it with representatives of the industry, whose impression is that the import controls weakened the safety aspect in this country.

Mr. Burden: The Minister is wrong--import licences were removed. The Health and Safety Executive provides authorisation and classification on applications to bring fireworks into the country. There is no regular check at the port of entry and no way of telling whether the fireworks entering the country are the same as those for which authorisation was requested. There was no replacement--import controls have gone and they need to be brought back.

Mr. Hinchliffe: My hon. Friend makes an important point. That reflects my understanding of the industry's impression of the current position.
I conclude by congratulating my hon. Friend on initiating the debate. Without making party points, I hope that we can learn from the deaths that have occurred and that action will be taken. The action that we should take is clearly set out in the coroner's letter in respect of my constituent's unfortunate death.

10.29 am
Mr. John Heppell (Nottingham, East): I shall speak briefly because I missed the start of the debate. I apologise for that; I had to attend a meeting.
Today's debate is predominantly about import controls and about category 3 and category 4 fireworks, but I am worried about very small fireworks--those in category 2, possibly even category 1. I have been involved in previous firework campaigns, but I became involved in this year's campaign after being visited by a woman whose dog had been killed in a firework-related incident. I promised that I would support her in getting a petition together. Within days, a young man had died in my constituency because of a firework--apparently, not a big firework.
I urge the Minister to extend the scope of his review to smaller fireworks. Import controls would not have helped to save Dale Mitchell's life. I want something that would have done so--an increase in the age at which people can buy fireworks to 18. I want a licensing system. I want proper training in all categories of fireworks.
I shall present that petition to the Minister, probably at the end of this month--I hope before he announces the results of his review. He expressed his sympathy following Dale's death. I thank him for that, and hope that he will consider the petitioners' views.
10.31 am  20 November 1996



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