HC Deb 14 December 1993 vol 234 c540W
Mrs. Bridget Prentice

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

Mr. Michael Forsyth

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

Mrs. Bridget Prentice

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

Mr. Michael Forsyth

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

Mrs. Bridget Prentice

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

Mr. Michal Forsyth

On the first and the second points raised, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 December, at column39, and also to the letter sent to her on 9 December by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade and Technology. All fireworks which are imported into Great Britain have to meet the British Standard 7114 or equivalent standard. We do not have detailed information on the domestic safety standards for fireworks manufactured outside Britain.