HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 cc511-2W
Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what methods the Government use to monitor the distribution, from ports of entry, of imported fireworks. [138003]

Mr. Browne

I have been asked to reply.

There is no routine monitoring of the distribution of fireworks from the port of entry.

The storage of fireworks is regulated by HSE in partnership with local authorities under the Explosives Act 1875. Anyone storing fireworks illegally will be liable to prosecution.

HSE works with local authorities and Customs and Excise to verify whether firework importers have licensed storage facilities in Great Britain. The evidence from these checks is that the overwhelming majority of fireworks imports declared to Customs and Excise are being imported by firms with licensed storage available to them.