HC Deb 08 April 1998 vol 310 cc359-60W
Mr. Flight

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received from retailers of fireworks following the recently introduced prohibitions; and if she will make a statement. [38411]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

The DTI has received some 60 identically styled letters from retailers with information about stocks of fireworks which may no longer be sold to the general public following the introduction of the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997. These letters relate mainly to one particular brand of fireworks.

Retailers have been informed that, following discussions between the DTI and the Health and Safety Executive, the latter has issued a Certificate of Exemption to facilitate the safe return to suppliers of stocks of the prohibited fireworks which have been taken out of their original transport packaging. The trade associations representing retailers and the firework industry have been informed that an Exemption Certificate has been issued.

Mr. Flight

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to prohibit the sale of further categories of fireworks; and if she will make a statement. [38412]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 which I made in September 1997 introduced firework safety measures in two stages.

From October 1997 the minimum age for people who can be sold fireworks was raised from 16 to 18 and large bangers, flash bangers, Chinese Crackers, fireworks with erratic flight, aerial shells, maroons and other large fireworks were banned from sale to the public.

Further measures came into effect on 31 December 1997. These included: prohibiting the sale to the public of all other types of bangers and mini-rockets; limits on the size of fireworks such as Roman Candles which can be sold to the public; a new age use warning on packets of sparklers.

The measures taken since the election have contributed to the largest fall in fireworks injuries for 23 years.

Mr. Flight

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the level of fireworks stocks currently held by retailers in the United Kingdom which fall within the recently banned categories; and if she will make a statement. [38410]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

Precise details of stocks of fireworks which may no longer be sold to the general public are not available. The proposals for safety regulations to prohibit certain fireworks were published in mid-June 1997 and sent to a wide range of companies, as well as to organisations representing retailers and other interests. The proposals, which received widespread publicity in the national press and on television, were also sent direct to all major firework suppliers to ensure that they were in a position to offer advice about possible changes in the law before deliveries of fireworks commenced for the 1997 firework season.