National Campaign for Firework Safety


Parliament in 1999

House of Lords where stated, otherwise House of Commons

9 February 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps, including a campaign of public information, to ensure that the code of practice on fireworks as it relates to the timing of firework sales is not breached in connection with the celebration of the new millennium. [69615]

Dr. Howells: The present voluntary code of practice relates to sales of fireworks in the run-up to Bonfire Night. Officials in the DTI will be contacting fireworks suppliers to discuss the issue of the sale of fireworks for the Millennium celebrations.



22 February 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the number of people injured by fireworks in 1998; and if he will make a statement. [71065]

Dr. Howells: DTI is still collating the firework injury data and I do not believe that we should speculate when we are so close to having the final figures. I expect the detailed statistics to be available shortly and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as they have been verified.


4 March 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls he proposes to introduce on the sale of fireworks. [74634]

Dr. Howells: The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 introduced comprehensive controls on the types and sizes of fireworks which can be supplied to the general public. I have no plans to introduce further controls on fireworks. However, I have asked DTI officials to explore ways in which the voluntary agreement on the selling period for fireworks in the run-up to Bonfire night can be strengthened and to consider the issue of sales in advance of the Millennium celebrations.


8 March 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many injuries resulting from accidents involving fireworks were reported in Great Britain for each year from 1990 to 1997, broken down by hospital casualty unit. [74635]

Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
The DTI's annual census of fireworks injuries is conducted over a four week period taking in the run-up to 5 November and a few days afterwards. Details of injuries recorded at each NHS Trust are available only for the years 1996 and 1997. Information for the years 1992 to 1995 is recorded by regional and district health authorities but no information on a regional basis is recorded for 1991. Copies of the annual reports of firework injuries for each of these years were placed in the Library as soon as they were published. A breakdown of the injuries recorded by each A&E unit for the years 1992 to 1995 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
No reliable estimates of fireworks injuries outside the census period can be made because the numbers are too small to be extrapolated from data in the Home Accident Surveillance System.


Fireworks

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 89, when he expects to place the final firework safety figure for 1998 in the Library. [75183]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 5 March 1999]: A summary report of the 1998 injuries is being sent to the printers and copies will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as they are available. I will inform the House when this has been done. The full report, complete with analytical tables, should be available in mid-April and copies will be placed in the Library.


16 March 1999

Firework Safety

Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the fireworks injuries statistics for the 1998 firework season; and if he will make a statement. [77007]

Dr. Howells: The total number of persons recorded as requiring treatment at hospital casualty departments in Great Britain during the 1998 firework season was 831. This represents a reduction of over 8 per cent. on the previous year's total. Within the overall reduction, there was a 36 per cent. fall in injuries caused by sparklers. My Department's firework safety campaign highlighted the risk of injury from sparklers and I am particularly pleased that this message has been heeded.
The number of serious injuries fell from 71 in 1997 to 46 last year. Figures also reveal a 12 per cent. drop in hooligan injuries after 21 areas were targeted by my department in partnership with local councils during the campaign to stamp out this anti-social behaviour.
I am arranging for copies of a summary of the injury figures to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Detailed analytical and regional tables will be published soon.


24 March 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce the 1998 figures for firework injuries from all hospital casualty units in Great Britain. [77602]

Dr. Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 16 March 1999, Official Report, column 598.


Fireworks

11. Dr. Brian Iddon (Bolton, South-East): If he will make a statement on progress made in improving the regulation of fireworks safety. [77043]

The Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs (Dr. Kim Howells): I have no plans to introduce further controls on fireworks. The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 introduced a comprehensive framework of firework safety measures to protect consumers. I believe that the regulations played a significant part in reducing the number of firework injuries during the 1998 firework season, details of which I announced on 16 March.

Dr. Iddon: I thank my hon. Friend for that answer and congratulate him and the Government on reducing the number of injuries from fireworks. However, I am sure that he knows of another major and increasing fireworks problem, harassment on the streets. Has he considered the possibility that that problem will become even greater this year given the proximity of bonfire night and the millennium celebrations? Has he considered training more people to stage public displays, something about which the fireworks industry is concerned?

Dr. Howells: The regulation-making powers available to me under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 do not allow me to regulate for the safety of goods by introducing a statutory training scheme for operators of fireworks displays. Nor can I restrict the periods during which fireworks can be sold or let off. I must remind my hon. Friend that a total ban took effect on 31 December 1997 on the sale of bangers--[Interruption.] Not sausages, bangers. It is probable that some retailers decided to risk selling off stocks of bangers held over from the 1997 bonfire season, and those bangers may well be responsible for some of the harassment on the streets referred to by my hon. Friend. Trading standards officers in various parts of the country have seized stocks of bangers and other prohibited fireworks in the run up to 5 November, and I understand that there will be a lot more prosecutions of those who try that trick.


25 March 1999

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

*11 Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): If he will make a statement on progress made in improving the regulation of fireworks safety


11 May 1999

Control of Fireworks


3.31 pm
Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend, East): I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to ban the sale of fireworks to the general public; to provide for a licensing system for firework displays; and for connected purposes.
My object today is to seek the views of the House of Commons on the problem of fireworks and to establish whether Members consider that the answer I put forward in the Bill is the right one. Of course, it is well known that ten-minute rule Bills rarely become law, but my hope is that, if we get a substantial majority for the Bill today, it might persuade this or a future Government to do something about the problem.
First we need to establish whether there is a problem. My view is that we have not only a problem but a nightmare with fireworks. Those of us with elderly relatives, young children or domestic pets will know that, for a period of months around the time of Guy Fawkes night, genuine alarm and distress is caused by fireworks exploding at all times of day or night, sometimes in the early hours of the morning. I reside in the centre of Southend and I also have a flat in London. From the telephone calls that I receive from distressed constituents, the letters that I receive and the representations that I hear in conversation, I gain the impression that the public are fed up to the teeth with the problem and want something to be done. They look to Parliament to take the appropriate action.
Apart from the inconvenience, there is also a safety issue. All sports involve dangers, but we should not ignore the fact that, in 1997, 908 firework accidents were reported, of which about half involved hospital treatment or other medical treatment. The previous year saw three deaths, including that of a 10-year-old boy called Dale, who died after a lit firework was pushed through the letter box in his home in Nottingham. An adult in Kent died of facial injuries after a private bonfire party.
In fairness, Governments of both parties have tried to do something about the problem. However, the difficulty is that all the measures that they have proposed have not worked. We had an active Consumer Affairs Minister in the Conservative Government who, in 1996, said that he would introduce a root and branch policy to sort out the problem. He brought in new regulations, which imposed massive fines of £5,000 for letting off fireworks in the street. He also prohibited the sale of fireworks to people under 18 years of age. However, despite that, in 1997, a third of all the accidents happened in the street and half of the injuries were to children under 15. That policy did not work.
Dramatic measures were proposed by the new Labour Government. The hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths), when he was the new Consumer Affairs Minister, energetically said:
"Firework injuries have soared to unacceptable levels. I am taking tough action to protect the public. Too many elderly people live in fear because of hooligan fireworks."
He proposed a massive publicity campaign and spent £350,000 last year on advertising telling people about the problems. However, none of the proposals made by Government--Conservative or Labour--have worked. We can either do nothing at all, or do something that will work. The only effective course of action is to make a change to the law that is clear, precise and unambiguous. I propose a total and complete ban on the sale of fireworks to the general public, and on the firing of fireworks by the general public. The Bill would also provide that organisations or individuals wanting to hold firework displays--which can be very exciting--would be permitted to do so only under licence from the local authority or council. Consideration of licence applications would take into account where and on what date such a display was to be held, and its duration.
I am aware that some councils want to be more flexible and liberal in their attitudes. The Bill would allow them to be so, but other areas might take a different point of view. The proposals would resolve the real nightmare of fireworks in an effective and practical manner.
In general, I am reluctant to promote legislation that reduces the freedom of individual citizens, but we should acknowledge that the freedom that people enjoy in relation to fireworks causes genuine alarm, distress and inconvenience to the majority. That is why we have to take action, and as soon as possible. I urge the House to face up to an issue that has been swept under the carpet for far too long, and to support the Bill.
I know that some hon. Members disagree with me. I hope that those who do say so and oppose the Bill, and that they then make their own proposals. We must accept that fireworks are worse than a problem--they are a nightmare. Something must be done to tackle the matter, and I believe that the proposals in the Bill are the only possible answers.
I hope that the House will be able to support my suggestion, and that real and effective legislation will be introduced before too long.

3.37 pm
Mr. Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst): My hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend, East (Sir T. Taylor) kindly invited those who oppose his Bill to say so. In one sense, I am happy to voice my disagreement, but in another it gives me no great joy, as I am a great admirer of my hon. Friend. He and I agree on many matters, but we shall have to disagree on this.
Of course, I understand my hon. Friend's motivation. Who could fail to respond to his warning that fireworks cause injury or even, tragically, the occasional death? My hon. Friend disapproves of that, as do a number of his constituents. However, I part company with my hon. Friend over the disappointing way in which he reaches for the ban and the licensing regime to solve the problem. That is classic old socialism. I should be surprised if new, modern Labour Members were attracted to my hon. Friend's solution, as it closely resembles the old-style, patronising socialism of which we thought that we had seen the back. However, my hon. Friend's Bill in effect patronises the public.
If a habit existed that was harmful to individuals and to society, would my hon. Friend want to ban it outright? Might it not be more appropriate to warn the public about possible dangers, and then let intelligent people make up their own minds? To my mind, that would be the preferred solution, and it is the approach that has been adopted up to now. My hon. Friend used statistics skilfully but rather selectively. I considered this matter not long ago, and am happy to say that I found that the efforts of successive Governments and Ministers over a period of years had resulted in a fall in the rate of accidents caused by fireworks. That is a result of the assiduous attention of a succession of Ministers, including my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Mr. Leigh). By informing the public and warning them of the danger, we have caused people to be ever more careful about the use of fireworks.
My argument is also more general. Without much difficulty, we could identify a number of activities that, tragically and unfortunately, cause mishap, injury and even death. In different ways, horse riding, mountaineering, rugby, off-shore boating and flying private aircraft all cause tragedies to occur. People are warned in advance of the danger, and undertake those activities in the full knowledge of the danger. Some of those activities cause danger to more than the participants. For example, brave volunteers go on to mountains or out in Royal National Lifeboat Institution boats.
We do not reach for the ban for those activities. We do not say that, because we disapprove of them or because they can cause injury, we must ban them. That is not the instinctive reaction of the Conservative--at least, I thought that it was not--and that is why I am disappointed by my hon. Friend's suggestion. I was even more disappointed that he went beyond the ban to introduce an old enemy--the licensing regime. A bureaucracy will be set up at the taxpayer's expense to tell people when they may or may not use fireworks in the pursuit of whatever pleasure they get from them. To do so would replace what my hon. Friend called a nightmare with nothing more than another nightmare. That is the wrong response to the problem.
My disappointment will not diminish my admiration and respect for my hon. Friend. I do not think that anything could do that. However, I must ask him to think again about his approach. Does he wish to set the precedent of banning something just because he disapproves of it or believes that it might injure people? I ask him not to go down the track of patronising the public, telling them that they do not have the sense to make a decision once they have been given information, so he must make the decision for them. That must run counter to conservatism, and I hope that my hon. Friend will think again. I oppose the Bill.
Question put, pursuant to Standing Order No. 23 (Motions for leave to bring in Bills and nomination of Select Committees at commencement of public business), and agreed to.
Bill ordered to be brought in by Sir Teddy Taylor, Mr. Richard Shepherd, Mr. Ken Livingstone, Mr. Stephen Pound, Mrs. Christine Butler, Mr. Andrew Mackinlay, Mr. John Cryer, Angela Smith, Ms Diane Abbott, Mr. Paul Burstow and Mr. John Randall.

Control of Fireworks

Sir Teddy Taylor accordingly presented a Bill to ban the sale of fireworks to the general public; to provide for a licensing system for firework displays; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 23 July, and to be printed [Bill 97].


20 May 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions trends in harassment and nuisance arising from the misuse of fireworks; and if he will make an assessment of the risks to consumer safety arising from such misuse. [84691]

Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has no responsibility for the harassment and nuisance issues arising from fireworks.
Firework incidents that occur in the street during the November firework season and require treatment by A&E departments are recorded in the DTI's census of firework injuries, which is conducted over a four-week period covering the run-up to 5 November and a few days afterwards. The summary report of firework injuries treated during the 1998 firework season--a copy of which is in the Library of the House--shows that there was a 12 per cent. drop, from 256 in 1997 to 226 in 1998, in hooligan-related injuries.
The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997, among other things, introduced controls on the supply of certain fireworks, including some types that are most often misused. These controls, together with a targeted safety campaign, played a significant part in reducing the number of firework injuries and incidents of misuse during the last firework season.

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are in place to ensure that imported fireworks placed on the market in the United Kingdom have received authorisation and categorisation by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. [84692]

Mr. Meale: I have been asked to reply.
It is a requirement in law that any commercial explosive, including fireworks be classified by the Health and Safety Executive before it is imported into the UK. It is also a requirement under section 40(9) of the Explosives Act 1875 for explosives to be authorised. The conditions for authorisation have been published by the HSE. In the case of fireworks, authorisation is conditional on compliance with the requirements of British Standard 7114:1988. This is also a requirement under the Firework (Safety) Regulations 1997 which are enforced by Local Authority Trading Standards officers.
If satisfied with an application for classification, the HSE issues a Competent Authority Document assigning the fireworks to an appropriate Hazard Classification and United Nations Serial Number. The details of each classified firework are held on a database and published as a list from time to time. The Competent Authority Document also acts to authorise the fireworks but this is subject to the fireworks meeting the relevant conditions for authorisation. Any firework not meeting these conditions would be considered not to be Authorised.
The HSE has enforcement powers under the applicable classification regulations and will take appropriate action where unclassified or unauthorised fireworks are found in the UK. Checks for compliance are made as part of the normal duties of the explosives inspectorate such as inspection of explosives factories and magazines, checks of transport activity, liaison and support to local authorities and investigation of incidents and complaints.

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely trends in the use of fireworks at the time of the millennium celebrations; and what plans he has to promote consumer safety associated with that use. [84690]

Dr. Howells: It is expected that fireworks will feature in Millennium celebrations, but it is not possible to predict patterns of use. DTI officials are currently working on a publicity strategy to address firework safety issues for the 1999 firework season and the Millennium celebrations. Discussions are also taking place with the fireworks industry about the period when fireworks should be sold and other safety issues associated with the use of fireworks over the Millennium.

Fireworks

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many cases of nuisance caused by misuse of fireworks were reported to environmental service departments between January 1998 and January 1999. [84695]

Mr. Meale: Information on the number of cases reported to environmental service departments is not collected centrally.

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many applications for authorisation and categorisation of fireworks to be imported to the United Kingdom there have been in each year since 1996; how many were (a) approved and (b) denied; and what were the categories involved in each case. [84696]

Mr. Meale: The applications received by the HSE for the classification and authorisation of fireworks since 1996 are as follows:

 
   
     
   
 
     
 

No applications were refused. The fireworks covered by these applications were in any of the four British Standards categories.


24 May 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the levels of harassment and nuisance caused by misuse of fireworks. [84694]

Mr. Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
Fireworks, provided they are used sensibly and safely, can provide pleasant entertainment. I am, however, aware that the thoughtless misuse of fireworks by a small element of the population, mostly unsupervised children, can result in local disturbance, nuisance and harassment.
It is important, therefore, to regulate the sale of fireworks. Relevant legislation comprises the Explosives Act 1875, as modified by the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991 and as amended by the Explosives (Age of Purchase) Act 1976, the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997. Under the 1875 Act, it is an offence to discharge a firework in a street or public place. The 1997 Regulations, among other provisions, make it an offence to sell certain types of firework to any members of the general public and to sell other types to anyone under 18, or in some cases, under 16. There is a maximum penalty of £5,000 or six months' imprisonment or both.
For over 20 years, Government-organised firework safety awareness campaigns run in collaboration with local authority trading standards departments, fire services and the fireworks industry have aimed to heighten awareness of the dangers from the misuse of fireworks. The Government consider the safety of the public as paramount and will keep under consideration the effectiveness and coherence of legislation, policies and strategies to ensure that problems and potential problems are addressed in a practical way.


14 July 1999  House of Lords

Lord Williams of Mostyn: My Lords, there is an extremely rigorous regime regarding animal experimentation. The Animal Procedures Committee, which is a statutory body, is an excellent committee. The statute forbids the disclosure of certain information. I can tell your Lordships that the number of experiments carried out under licence in this country is lower than it has been since the early 1950s.

Lord Monkswell: My Lords, further to the supplementary question by the noble Lord, Lord, Tebbit, is my noble friend aware that the Fireworks Bill, which is a Private Member's Bill with the aim of improving the safety of fireworks for the prevention of accidents to children, was amended in this House with the sole aim of preventing the anti-foxhunting Bill introduced by Mike Foster from making progress in the other place?

Lord Williams of Mostyn: My Lords, I have heard that suggestion, but I do not think that it derogates from the underlying point made by the noble Lord, Lord Tebbit.


1 November 1999

Oral Answers to Questions


HOME DEPARTMENT
The Secretary of State was asked--


Fireworks

1. Mr. Bill O'Brien (Normanton): How many incidents which involve fireworks have been reported to the police in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement. [94990]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mrs. Barbara Roche): Separate figures are not kept on firework incidents reported to the police. Most such incidents will be reported to the ambulance service in the first instance. In 1998, 831 people were reported as treated by hospitals for injuries caused by accidents with fireworks. That compares with 908 people in 1997, 1,233 in 1996 and 1,530 in 1995.

Mr. O'Brien: I thank my hon. Friend for that response. Obviously, the figures are pointing in the right direction, although 800-odd too many people were injured last year.
Let me say first that I am not anti-fireworks; I want people to enjoy them, but I am concerned at the number of injuries that they cause. Does my hon. Friend have any figures for incidents reported to the police involving fireworks thrown in the street? My concerns are heightened because of the millennium celebrations that will be taking place. The regulations on fireworks safety must be strengthened, and people must adhere to them. Will the Minister assure my constituents that those regulations will be observed?

Mrs. Roche: I am sure that the whole House would endorse the sentiments behind my hon. Friend's remarks. All fireworks intended for use by the public, whether made here or imported, must meet the requirements of the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997, which are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. However, the Home Office takes very seriously any infringement of the regulations and criminal activities. Bonfire night should be enjoyed, but enjoyed peacefully and safely.

Mr. Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): I do not know whether the Minister knows that I have a retail business in Swansea. We have been selling fireworks for many years, and it is not always easy to guess someone's age. Will the hon. Lady remind shopkeepers that they should never gamble when it comes to the sale of such explosives? It is best to err on the side of caution and not to sell the fireworks. Will the hon. Lady also confirm that people who may be enticed into buying fireworks for others who are under age will be pursued if they do so? In general, safety should come first and--I know that this will not make me popular with other shopkeepers--people should buy their fireworks late so that they do not hang around in the house and possibly cause damage.

Mrs. Roche: I am entirely in agreement with the hon. Gentleman. I know about his business interests because of my previous experience at the Department of Trade and Industry. He has spoken a great deal of common sense. I would add that there are some very good public fireworks displays to which parents can take their children. Indeed, this Saturday there is a magnificent fireworks display at Alexandra palace, in my constituency, and I will be there with my family.

Dr. Brian Iddon (Bolton, South-East): Does my hon. Friend agree that the Tories, led by the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth), talking out a private Member's fireworks Bill was an act of gross irresponsibility? If the Bill had been enacted, newspapers such as my local Bolton Evening News would not be calling today for increased safety and even a total ban on retail sales of fireworks.

Mrs. Roche: It is the duty of all Members of the House to consider each piece of legislation that comes before us. That was indeed an important measure; instead of seeking to talk out Bills, Members should seriously consider their implications. Many people will echo my hon. Friend's remarks.


Fireworks

3. Ms Hazel Blears (Salford): What action he is taking to prevent the deliberate use of fireworks to cause alarm, distress and injury to people and damage to property. [94992]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mrs. Barbara Roche): The law relating to criminal damage and to offences against the person applies to deliberate damage by fireworks, as it would to damage deliberately caused in other ways. In addition, the letting off of fireworks in any public place is an offence under section 80 of the Explosives Act 1875.

Ms Blears: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that reply, but I am not satisfied that the regulations relating to fireworks are being enforced. There have been some horrific incidents in my constituency in the past few weeks. Youngsters aged nine, 10 and 11 have been putting explosives into car exhausts or down grids to blow them up. The latest trick is to put an explosive inside a traffic cone and then put the cone inside a telephone box. When it explodes, the whole telephone box goes up. That is not youngsters having fun but people terrorising the neighbourhood. I ask the Government to consider seriously the enforcement of the regulations and to ensure that magistrates take such offenders seriously.

Mrs. Roche: I am well aware of the problems that my hon. Friend has experienced in her constituency and of the detailed, firm action that she has taken. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has visited her constituency. Among other things, the regulations prohibit the sale of aerial shells, bangers and mini-rockets to the general public and place restrictions on the size of fireworks that can be sold generally. I know that she has been in contact with my colleagues at the Department of Trade and Industry. I undertake to liaise with them to see what can be done. We are talking about criminality and it will be dealt with by the police. I hope that it will be investigated and arrests made.

Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham): I am grateful for the Minister's initial response to the question, and agree fervently with it. However, in view of the parliamentary answer provided by the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) to the hon. Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon) on 25 March, and of the 23 per cent. and 12 per cent. reductions in accidents caused by firework hooliganism in 1997 and 1998 respectively, will she confirm that the Government have no further plans for additional restrictions on the use of fireworks?

Mrs. Roche: I have made it clear that the regulations are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. However, the hon. Gentleman is right to say that, as I told my hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Ms Blears), we are talking about criminal activity. We do not want the enjoyment of the many spoiled by the reckless and criminal activity of the few. The Government must keep the position under constant review. The House would expect no less.

Helen Jones (Warrington, North): I am glad to hear that my hon. Friend is liaising with the DTI. In those discussions, will she raise the fact that fireworks are on sale for so long before 5 November that that in itself contributes to much of the harm and damage that is done? Will she consider the possibility of restricting sales of fireworks to individuals to a short period before 5 November, to minimise the chances of crimes occurring?

Mrs. Roche: My hon. Friend's point is well made and I will make it to the DTI. It is important that the DTI has regular detailed discussions with the industry and representative bodies to ensure that such points are taken on board.


Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department


*1 Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): How many incidents which involve fireworks have been reported to the police in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement. (94990)

*2 Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome): What was the change in the number of police officers in the Avon and Somerset Constabulary between March 1996 and March 1999. (94991)

*3 Ms Hazel Blears (Salford): What action he is taking to prevent the deliberate use of fireworks to cause alarm, distress and injury to people and damage to property.


4 November 1999


Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department


*15 Shona McIsaac (Cleethorpes): What plans he has for reducing firework-related injuries.

Fireworks (Safety)

15. Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for reducing firework-related injuries. [95838]

Dr. Howells: The comprehensive measures introduced under the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 are again being supplemented by a robust, targeted firework safety campaign. This approach has been shown to work. During the 1998 firework season, 831 people were treated in A&E departments compared to 908 in 1997 and 1233 in 1996.
The theme of this year's campaign, which I launched on 15 October, is that alcohol and fireworks do not mix. As part of the campaign, 1,000 information packs to help mount local safety campaigns have been distributed to trading standards, fire brigades, environmental health officers and for the first time, police forces.


9 November 1999

WALES


Fireworks

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to restrict the periods of (a) display and (b) sale of fireworks to the period immediately preceding 5 November and the new Millennium. [97898]

Mr. Paul Murphy: These are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Department of Trade and Industry.


22 November 1999

93 Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many fireworks imported into the United Kingdom have been seized by HM Customs as unsafe in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

184 Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last five years for the sale of fireworks to children; and if he will make a statement. (99293)

185 Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last five years for selling unsafe fireworks; and if he will make a statement.

239  Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received in the last 12 months on the sale of fireworks. (99287)

240  Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many accidents involving fireworks have been recorded in the last 12 months. (99288)

242 Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will put forward legislation relating to the sale of fireworks in order to ensure that fireworks cannot be bought directly or indirectly by young children; and if he will make a statement. (99392)

251 Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many reports he has received in each of the last five years of accidents caused by unsafe fireworks; and if he will make a statement.


Firework Safety

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fireworks imported into the United Kingdom have been seized by HM Customs as unsafe in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [99295]

Mr. Timms: None. Control over the safety of fireworks imported into the UK and sold to the general public has since 1993 been the responsibility of Local Trading Standards Officers. The Health and Safety Executive authorises general retail fireworks for storage and supply in the UK.


25 November 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last five years for the sale of fireworks to children; and if he will make a statement; [99293]
(2) how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last five years for selling unsafe fireworks; and if he will make a statement. [99294]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Information held centrally on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database does not identify separately the offence of "selling of gunpowder to children" under section 31 of the Explosives Act 1875 from other summary offences under the Explosives Acts.
The Database shows no defendants proceeded against for the triable either-way offence of selling unsafe fireworks (section 32 Explosives Act 1875--Sale of gunpowder to be in closed packages labelled) from 1994 to 1998 inclusive


26 November 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will put forward legislation relating to the sale of fireworks in order to ensure that fireworks cannot be bought directly or indirectly by young children; and if he will make a statement. [99392]

Dr. Howells: The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 prohibit the supply of most fireworks to persons under the age of 18 years. The exceptions to this prohibition are caps, cracker snaps, novelty matches, party poppers, serpents and throwdowns which, under the Explosives Act 1875, can be sold to persons over the age of 16 years.


30 November 1999

Fireworks

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many reports he has received in each of the last five years of accidents caused by unsafe fireworks; and if he will make a statement. [99296]

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have sustained injuries as a result of accidents involving fireworks in 1999. [100604]

Dr. Howells: Figures on the numbers and types of injuries caused by fireworks and treated at hospital Accident and Emergency units in England, Scotland and Wales during the four week period covering the run-up to 5 November and a few days afterwards are as follows:

 
   
     
   
 
     
 

The statistics do not indicate whether the injury was due to a firework malfunctioning or to misuse.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accidents involving fireworks have been recorded in the last 12 months. [99288]

Dr. Howells: Because injuries from fireworks are concentrated in the period around 5 November, the statistics of the Home Accident Surveillance System do not provide a reliable picture of injury levels. Accordingly, my Department conducts a census of injuries requiring treatment at a hospital A & E department in England, Scotland or Wales during the four week period covering the run-up to 5 November and a few days afterwards. The results for the census for the 1999 season are not yet available but I shall publish them before spring 2000.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received in the last 12 months on the sale of fireworks. [99287]

Dr. Howells: I have received a total of 224 representations on fireworks safety matters, comprised of 104 letters from Parliamentary colleagues, 13 Parliamentary questions and 107 letters from the public.

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to prevent the display of fireworks for sale until 27 December. [100608]

Dr. Howells: Following discussions with my Department, the British Pyrotechnists' Association has agreed that it will advise retailers that fireworks should be displayed for sale only from 27 December. I welcome and support the agreement because I want to avoid the possibility of people buying fireworks and storing them over the Christmas period.



8 December 1999

Fireworks


1 pm
Mr. Barry Gardiner (Brent, North): Older and wiser parliamentary heads advise me that the crafty Member begins his Adjournment debate by praising the Minister for all that the Department has achieved. The effect of such a eulogy is doubly beneficial: it sets the Minister off feeling well disposed towards that hon. Member and therefore less likely to savage his arguments and, more importantly, it makes any self-respecting Minister self-conscious about repeating what one has said about her Department's achievements. Such repetition normally comprises at least one third of the speech that civil servants have prepared and so the eulogy liberates a good five minutes in which the Minister will feel obliged to answer the Member's questions.
That is the theory; we must see how it works in practice. I begin with fulsome praise for the Government's Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997, set out in SI 2294. All fireworks sold to the general public must comply with the regulations, which stipulate that all fireworks on sale to the public must comply with British standard 7114 and that the minimum age for purchasing fireworks is 18--previously, it was 16. Sixteen-year-olds can now buy only party poppers, caps and cracker snaps. Perhaps most significantly, the regulations have banned the public supply of aerial shells, aerial maroons, shells-in-mortar, maroons-in-mortar, bangers, mini-rockets and fireworks of erratic flight, such as helicopters, squibs and jumping jacks. In addition, some large and powerful fireworks have been banned from sale except to exempted professional pyrotechnic display organisers.
The regulations were passed speedily by the new Labour Government and are most welcome additional controls on what was becoming a fireworks free-for-all. I have only praise for the Minister and her Department in that respect and I do not doubt that, in her speech, she will tell us that, following the introduction of the regulations, the number of serious injuries requiring treatment at hospital casualty departments fell from 1,233 in 1996 to just 908 in 1997--a drop of more than 26 per cent.--with a further drop of 10 per cent. in the following year. Or rather, I do not doubt that she would have told us that had I not already done so.
I suggest a more helpful line for the Minister to take. Instead of repeating the list of regulations, she could tell us about their enforcement, an obligation placed on local authority trading standards officers. Suppliers who breach the regulations can be prosecuted in a magistrates court and fined up to £5,000, imprisoned for up to six months, or both fined and imprisoned. Will the Minister advise us not of the regulations but of how well and how thoroughly they are being enforced? Will she tell us how many prosecutions have been initiated against suppliers of fireworks in each of the past three years? How many of those prosecutions have led to a conviction and how many convictions have led to the imposition of either the maximum fine or a custodial sentence?
When I requested such information from my local trading standards office--the office for Brent and Harrow--I discovered that in 1998-99, in an area with a population of more than 500,000, there were only eight prosecutions, all for sales to minors. The largest fine was for £500, there were two fines for just £100, and there was one conditional discharge. During the previous year, there were only three prosecutions. Hon. Members should remember that the figures were for an area of 500,000 people. Of the three prosecutions, two were for sales to minors with fines of £250 and one for selling on the streets with a fine of £300.
The local trading standards officer was keen to note that shops needed no licence--they simply had to pay £11.70 to register as vendors of fireworks. He said that that fee did not even cover the administration cost and that, what is worse, there was no power to refuse or to evoke someone's registration. Overall, he continued, the office's role was reactive rather than proactive because it was understaffed.
The simple point is that the best regulations in the world are only as good as the enforcement officers. Enforcement is at best patchy, and at worst inadequate, to put it politely. The supply of fireworks is a commercial enterprise in which the rewards are so great that the risk of a £5,000 fine may be deemed an acceptable business cost. Does the Minister consider present levels of enforcement to be acceptable? If not, what will her Department do about them?
Enforcement problems are compounded because the United Kingdom has no register of firework delivery. Unlike many of our European counterparts, the United Kingdom allows hundreds of tonnes of explosives to be delivered to a shop or warehouse with no obligation to notify the local authority or even the fire brigade. How are local trading standards officers supposed to do their job--to check compliance with British standard 7114 and to check that no prohibited fireworks are being sold--when they do not even know where the fireworks are?
At a fireworks industry conference in September, one trading standards officer from Essex reported that four tonnes of fireworks had been delivered to a private householder. When contacted, the firework company that had made the delivery retorted that, as far as they were concerned, the purchaser could have had 20 tonnes had he so wanted. Sadly, the law would allow that. Private individuals may take delivery of vast quantities of explosives and store them for up to 14 days, without having to notify a competent authority and without an official record being required.
Does the Minister not consider protection of the public to require the establishment of a fireworks register? Trading standards officers and fire brigades throughout the country could then track the whereabouts of large volumes of fireworks in the community.
I return to the case of the Essex householder. What qualifications did he have to prove and what training did he have to show to persuade the firework company that he was competent to handle safely four tonnes of fireworks? The answer is none. Were the Minister to find herself living next door to such a gentleman, would she not expect him to have had training and some qualification before he was given custody of four tonnes of explosives?
I pay tribute to the work of my hon. Friends the Members for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy), for Motherwell and Wishaw (Mr. Roy) and for Lincoln (Gillian Merron), who have actively campaigned on the issue. The private Member's Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton proposed such a national training scheme for those operating fireworks displays. Sadly and disgracefully, her Bill was talked out by two Conservative Members, despite receiving all-party support and Government assistance. Given that the Government supported such a scheme under that Bill, why do they not implement one? Will the Minister consider establishing powers whereby local authorities could regulate public fireworks displays to ensure safety?
I turn now to the most pressing and depressing part of the matter. I am not the only constituency MP to receive an annual flood of complaints from residents about disturbance from fireworks. My local authority, Brent council, informs me that its environment department received more than 400 complaints last year. Constituents cannot understand why the law does not empower someone--they do not care whether that is the council or the police--to stop the constant nightly bombardment that they experience.
One of my constituents described the situation in this way:
"Dear Mr. Gardiner, as I write this letter at 11 pm, it sounds like World War III has been going on outside since 5.30 pm and that it will go on to midnight.

It started last Thursday 15 October and how long it goes on for I don't know. My neighbour tells me all through November." The lady continues:

"Neither I nor my four cats have ever experienced anything like this. I had a severe migraine over the weekend and my cats are terrified and distressed."
This year, I lodged an appeal in my local newspaper, the Wembley Observer urging residents to be more considerate of their neighbours and to finish their firework parties by 11 pm, to give some respite to the elderly, to babies, to pets and to ordinary people who just want to go to sleep in their own homes so that they can get up for their job of work the next morning without feeling that they have spent the night as film extras in the movie "Saving Private Ryan". I believe that my appeal had some success, but unfortunately the bombardments continued.
I am aware that the regulation-making powers under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 do not allow the Minister to restrict the periods during which fireworks can be legally sold or let off, but that is precisely why further legislation is needed. The public simply do not accept that legislation can go into immense detail about noisy machinery, amplified music and even, under the Noise and Statutory Nuisance Act 1993, specify that a car with a faulty vehicle alarm can be towed away and impounded, yet nothing can be done to relieve the nightly misery for thousands of residents throughout the country from firework parties that produce enormous noise, cause huge distress and disrupt people's lives.
The Minister will, no doubt, have been advised that noise from fireworks could be deemed a statutory nuisance under part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Sadly, the reality is as described to me by my local director of environmental health. I quote from his letter:
"While the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is particularly effective at dealing with noise from loud amplified music, noisy machinery or plant and intruder alarms, it is not effective or appropriate to deal with noise from fireworks." In those remarks, the director of environmental health was supported by the Metropolitan police service, which wrote to me as follows:

"Thank you for your letter dated 20 October in which you bring to my attention the inconvenience caused to your constituents by noisy fireworks. Unfortunately, police have very limited powers to deal with such incidents, especially when they occur on private premises. The local authority Noise Abatement Section of the Environmental Health Department also has very specific and limited powers which do not enable them to deal effectively with these problems." I urge the Minister to put in place an effective means of dealing with these problems.
This year, the fireworks industry has rejected the Department of Trade and Industry's call for a ban on firework sales until three days before the new year celebrations for the millennium. What that means is that in 23 days' time one family in this country will face the next millennium with a family member, possibly a child, having been injured, maimed or perhaps killed by the use of an unsafe firework, or by the use of fireworks at a display that was unsafely operated. The Department of Trade and Industry calculates that the cost of each injury to the national health service is £6,000, but the cost to the family involved will be considerably more.

1.14 pm
The Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce (Ms Patricia Hewitt) : I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North (Mr. Gardiner) on his success in securing the debate on an important subject that is of concern to many members of the public, especially parents, at this time of the year. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the courtesies with which he began his speech and for his praise for the officials in my Department who are responsible for considerably strengthening the regulations on the subject. My hon. Friend successfully did as he intended and pre-empted many of my briefing notes, prepared by the same helpful officials for the debate. I congratulate him on his research before opening the debate.
I reinforce the point that my hon. Friend acknowledged that we have taken steps to strengthen the regulation of fireworks. There is no doubt that the new regulations that we introduced in 1997, which came into effect on 1 January 1998, have significantly reduced the number of firework injuries--certainly those that were treated in hospital accident and emergency departments. We can measure that by the reports from hospitals in the four-week period around the 5 November firework season last year. We do not yet have the figures for this year's season. They will be available early next year and will be published in the usual way at the time. I hope that the figures for this year will continue to show a fall in the number of accidents resulting from inappropriate or dangerous use of fireworks.
It is important, too, to remember that every year, millions of people safely buy and enjoy fireworks for their own entertainment in their back gardens and those of their friends, or as part of public displays. I am glad that several authorities, including my local authority, Leicester city council, have put on highly successful public displays of fireworks, to encourage more families and members of the public to enjoy firework displays without running the risks often associated with the private use of fireworks in people's back gardens. However, I do not think that the Government should prevent the safe and thoroughly enjoyable use of fireworks in people's private property and at public displays.
The difficulties, which my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North described extremely vividly, arise from people who are either careless or positively dangerous in misusing fireworks intended for their own enjoyment, which tragically injure, maim or occasionally kill one of their own family members.
The other problems to which my hon. Friend referred, and from which his constituent suffered so seriously, arise from thoughtless youngsters, hooligans and vandals using fireworks of various kinds to make other people's lives a misery. That is a real problem, but it is only a small part of the overall picture of the use of fireworks.
There are people--my hon. Friend made it clear that he was not one of them--who are really calling on us to ban the sale and purchase of fireworks for private use. I do not believe that that is a sensible way forward, and I am glad that my hon. Friend shares that opinion. As he said, my Department undertook a review of firework sales in 1996 and rejected the option of a total ban, not least because of fears that a total ban on the sale of fireworks for private use might lead to the development of a black market for fireworks and also to the possibility of people obtaining the ingredients and making their own devices. Neither of those situations would improve public safety; indeed, both would severely jeopardise it and would not be acceptable.
We decided instead to act in the way that my hon. Friend accurately described through the introduction and implementation of the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations in 1997. My hon. Friend referred to the registration of shops selling fireworks. The Health and Safety Executive is reviewing the Explosives Act 1875, which dates back more than 100 years, to see whether we need to strengthen the powers to refuse or to revoke registration to a retailer selling fireworks.
An important issue arises there. A voluntary code of practice with the fireworks industry deals with the period during which fireworks may be sold. Under the code, the fireworks industry has agreed that they should be sold only for three weeks before 5 November and for a couple of days thereafter. The industry reinforces that message to retailers at the beginning of every season. As my hon. Friend said, the agreement this year, with the millennium weekend coming up, was that fireworks would be displayed for sale only from 27 December. Like my hon. Friend, I am disappointed that some newsagents and other shops have continued to sell fireworks right through since the 5 November season in anticipation of the millennium weekend. Looking ahead to that weekend, preliminary indications that I have had are that, compared with the normal pre-new year period, sales are less than 20 per cent. higher than usual for the time of year. Most additional sales are accounted for by high-value firework purchases, obviously made by people who plan large public displays. These are in a different category from private purchasers.
The Government do not have powers under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 to control anything other than the intrinsic safety of the goods themselves and we use those powers. The period of sale of fireworks is an issue for the voluntary code of practice. We have discussed this problem with the British Pyrotechnics Association. I hope that it will take further action with its members to try to reduce the number of retail outlets that defy the code by trying to sell fireworks in the weeks before Christmas and before 27 December when, under the code, firework sales would be expected to begin again.
My hon. Friend also raised the controls on the storage of fireworks by private individuals. This, too, is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive under the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991. The regulations allow up to 5 kg of fireworks for private use to be kept on individual premises. The case that my hon. Friend mentioned clearly falls well outside the scope of the regulations. If he will let me have further details of the report that he has procured, I shall be happy to ensure that the matter is properly investigated.
The regulations also permit unlimited quantities of fireworks to be stored for up to 14 days. This may be the source of the problem to which my hon. Friend referred, although the regulations stipulate that fireworks must be kept in a safe and suitable place and all due precautions taken for public safety. A back garden shed or garage may not fit the regulation's requirements.
As I said, the Health and Safety Executive is reviewing existing explosives legislation and the review may result in changes to existing conditions for the keeping of fireworks for private use. I shall ensure that my hon. Friend is kept up to date as the review progresses.
My hon. Friend quoted from a letter from a constituent who had suffered badly around 5 November. All hon. Members know that trouble with noisy neighbours and local vandals--and worse, positively criminal neighbours--is one of the most intractable problems that we face in our advice surgeries. There will always be limits to the powers of the police and local authorities and to their resources for dealing with the problem.
The Fireworks Bill--a private Member's Bill promoted by my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy)--would have introduced many sensible additions to the regulatory package now in place for the control of fireworks. The Government supported her Bill, and I greatly regret that two Conservative Members chose to talk it out. It would have given the necessary powers to provide for mandatory training of people who operate large public displays. It would have dealt with the times during which fireworks could be sold--now purely a matter for the industry's voluntary code of practice--and provided powers to limit the letting off of fireworks except at specified times. These problems cannot be tackled under the current powers available to us, be they in the Fireworks Bill or the Consumer Protection Act 1987. It is a pity that that private Member's Bill failed. I hope that in a future private Members' ballot, any hon. Member who has an interest in this issue will succeed in reviving the Bill.
As my hon. Friend knows, the pressures on legislative time are enormous. When I became a Minister last year, I assumed that the biggest difficulty that the Government would face would be finding sufficient money to do all the things that we need to do. That is always a challenge, although one that is brilliantly discharged by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor. The big difficulty is finding time. I am afraid that I cannot give my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North the comfort that he seeks. There is no immediate or medium-term prospect of the Government introducing fireworks legislation. The legislative priorities to fulfil our manifesto commitments are such that, as he is aware, Bills with an even higher priority than one on this subject are already fighting for parliamentary time.
None the less, possibilities are available under secondary legislation. I have already mentioned the review being undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive. I can also reassure my hon. Friend that officials from various Departments and agencies work closely on this subject. My Department, the Health and Safety Executive, the Home Office and the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions work closely together, as we did when drawing up the 1987 regulations and will do again when we consider the recommendations that follow the Health and Safety Executive's review.
Finally, my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North questioned whether trading standards officers and the police were successful in enforcing the current regulations and statutory provisions, and suggested, no doubt on the basis of his constituency experience, that perhaps they were not. I do not have to hand figures for prosecutions and convictions, but I shall try to obtain those from the co-ordinating body for trading standards officers and send it to my hon. Friend. However, it must be a matter for local authorities, within their resources, which we are increasing every year, to determine local priorities. There are a large number of regulations--many people would say too many--and we have constantly to review regulatory burdens. With many regulations we look to trading standards officers for effective enforcement. Local authorities must decide on the most effective use of resources and determine priorities.
I can reassure my hon. Friend that we shall work closely with the industry and with local authorities to reinforce the message about safe use and enjoyment of fireworks. For the millennium weekend, we shall carry forward the "alcohol and fireworks do not mix" message that we successfully introduced for this year's 5 November weekend. I end by congratulating my hon. Friend on securing this important debate and on participating in the steps that we are taking to ensure that fireworks are enjoyed safely.


9 December 1999

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

*13 Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell and Wishaw): What recent discussion he has had with fireworks manufacturers in relation to the sale of fireworks in the period up to 31st December

Fireworks

13. Mr. Frank Roy (Motherwell and Wishaw): What recent discussion he has had with fireworks manufacturers in relation to the sale of fireworks in the period up to 31 December. [100538]

The Minister for Trade (Mr. Richard Caborn): Following discussions with my Department, the British Pyrotechnists Association agreed that it will advise retailers that fireworks should be displayed for sale only from 27 December. My hon. Friend has taken that on board and done a sterling job in his constituency. Many of his retailers did not know about the agreement. He brought 37 of them together and they have agreed to come on board and abide by the voluntary code. The House should applaud the work that he has done in his constituency.

Mr. Roy: I thank my right hon. Friend for his welcome words. Those retailers took on board what I had said in my letter and showed their social responsibility to the people of Motherwell and Wishaw, who have suffered from the misuse of fireworks. None of them knew about an agreement between the British Pyrotechnists Association and the Department of Trade and Industry. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that retailers who have already bought their stock of fireworks know about any future agreements?

Mr. Caborn: In the light of my hon. Friend's question and a debate that my hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce responded to yesterday, I have been discussing the issue with departmental officials this morning. I intend to write this afternoon to the local authorities' co-ordinating bodies for trading standards, asking them to inform the Department of any breaches that they have had to deal with recently. I shall pass that on to the British Pyrotechnists Association to ensure that it is able to enforce its voluntary code with the retailers. I hope that there will be action today.


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