§ Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the figures of injuries caused by fireworks in 1991.
§ Mr. LeighAccording to reports from accident and emergency units in hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland, 723 people required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks during the three weeks leading up to November 5 1991 and the few days after, a decrease of just over 10 per cent. Serious injuries fell by 23 per cent. There was a decrease in injuries to all age groups, but particularly to 16 to 20-year-olds, where the fall was 31 per cent. There were also significant reductions in injuries to those under 16 years of age. There was a decrease of 36 per cent. in injuries from rockets and of 8 per cent. for bangers, but an increase of 9 per cent. from sparklers. Injuries from incidents in the street were down 21 per cent., from large public displays 18 per cent., from small public dislays 3 per cent. and from family firework parties 2 per cent. There were over 110 million fireworks let off in 1990, but we estimate that there were 2 to 5 per cent. less in 1991. The detailed breakdown for 1991 and the preceding four years is as follows:
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Firework injuries in Great Britain (4 week period in October-November) Year 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 Total 723 805 800 877 960 Place of accident 1. Family or private party 263 269 280 300 260 2. Semi-public display (eg scouts, cricket club) 57 59 71 69 88 3. Large public display 111 135 135 123 155 4. Casual incident in street etc. 209 264 247 298 364 5. Other place 68 64 46 65 73 6. Indoors 15 14 21 22 20 Type of firework 1. Banger 146 158 136 162 163 2. Rocket 92 144 131 164 174 3. Roman candle, coloured fire etc. 68 66 89 83 96 4. Home-made or extracted powder 16 7 18 17 24 5. Other proprietary fireworks 68 73 125 86 109
Year 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 6. Sparklers 101 93 83 102 95 7. Unspecified type 232 264 218 263 299 Severity of injury 1. Fatal injury — — — — — 2. Detained for more than one night 26 38 46 69 60 3. Sufficient to cause absence from work or equivalent 109 138 142 167 158 4. Minor injury 583 590 551 587 661 5. Unspecified injury 5 39 61 54 81 Eye injuries (included in 2–5) 247 269 275 269 312 Age group of injured persons 1. Over 20 263 269 251 280 252 2. 16 to 20 98 142 135 151 168 3. 13 to 15 122 134 152 266 220 4. Under 13 240 260 262 280 320