§ Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT particulars of the accidents caused by fireworks during the period 12th October to 7th November, 1964, together with comparable figures for the two previous years; and what further action he is proposing to take to reduce the number of such accidents.
§ Sir F. SoskiceThe particulars are set out in the table below, which analyses in various ways the information obtained from hospitals in England and Wales relating to the 2,220 persons who received hospital treatment for injuries caused by
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FIREWORKS INJURIES IN ENGLAND AND WALES 1964 1963 1962 A.. PLACE WHERE INJURY OCCURRED (i) Family or private party … … 969 1,144 1,200 (ii) Public or semi-public party in park or open space, e.g. sports club … … 340 372 531 (iii) Casual incident in street … … 624 717 816 (iv) Other places … … 131 89 161 (v) Unknown … … 156 139 124 B. TYPE OF FIREWORK INVOLVED … … (i) Banger … … 723 885 1,236 (ii) Rocket … … 335 280 266 (iii) Jumping cracker … … 166 237 270 (iv) Display firework (e.g. roman candle) … … 373 447 483 (v) Other than above (including home-made firework) … … 230 181 206 (vi) Unknown … … 393 431 371 C. CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO INJURY (i) Ignition in pocket … … 59 78 157 (ii) Accidental ignition in box or container … … 104 80 115 (iii) Examining firework after faulty or delayed ignition … … 258 302 371 (iv) Holding firework in hand … … 401 548 570 (v) Deliberate misuse … … 505 545 645 (vi) Other causes … … 551 555 637 (vii) Unknown … … 342 353 337 D. AGE GROUPS OF PERSONS INJURED (i) Over 21 … … 436 398 418 (ii) 16–20 … … 174 222 264 (iii) 13–15 … … 389 509 664 (iv) Under 13 … … 1,221 1,332 1,486 E. NATURE OF INJURY (i)Eye … … 749 916 1,038 (ii) Face … … 481 493 642 (iii) Hand … … 707 827 978 (iv) Other parts of body … … 518 518 687 (These figures add up to more than the total of persons injured because some victims received injuries in two or more of the categories.) F. SEVERITY OF INJURY (i)Died … … 2* 0 0 (ii) Admitted to hospital … … 241 332 483 (iii) Not admitted to hospital but injury severe … … 336 387 505 (iv) Minor injury … … 1,609 1,729 1,828 (v) Unknown … … 32 13 16 * One death occurred on 8th November, but it has been included in these figures as the fatal injury was. sustained on 5th November. fireworks between 12th October and 7th November, 1964. Figures are given also for the comparable four-week periods in 1963 and 1962, when the total numbers of persons involved were 2,461 and 2,832, respectively.
Although there were, unfortunately, two deaths during this period in 1964, the number of injuries of all kinds fell by 10 per cent. as compared with 1963; serious injuries by 20 per cent.; and accidents involving bangers by 18 per cent. The publicity and other measures already undertaken with a view to reducing the accident rate are clearly having an effect, and, as my hon. Friend indicated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) on 16th March, these measures will be continued.