Helen Jones

Labour Party | Warrington North

FIREWORKS

At this time of year my bulging file on the problems caused by fireworks becomes even larger,  with many of you writing in about the difficulties you have experienced.

Most of us enjoy a good fireworks display.  I know that I do and I’ve been a regular attender, with my family, at the display in Birchwood.  The problems we face occur when fireworks are used irresponsibly.  Many of you highlighted these problems in your responses to the questionnaire I circulated at the start of the year.  Over 90% of you who responded thought fireworks should not be available for general sale and that noise restrictions should apply and over 60% of you had felt threatened by other people’s use of fireworks.  The most common problems reported were;  fireworks being set off in the early hours of the morning;  fireworks being put through letter boxes;  fireworks being thrown at people;  fireworks damaging property;  and fireworks terrorising pets.

I joined with a number of other MPs to press for some action to be taken and am pleased to be able to tell you that the Fireworks Act,  resulting from a bill promoted by my colleague Bill Tynan,  has now become law after being given a fair wind by the government.

This Act sets noise limits for fireworks,  introduces licences for retailers selling fireworks and bans their use at certain times.  These new laws do not apply to Bonfire Night this year but the government has called on retailers to act within the spirit of the law.

I hope that the parts of the Act detailing the anti-social use of fireworks will be implemented before Christmas,  as the government hopes.  This will mean a curfew on the use of fireworks,  creating a new offence of possession of fireworks by a minor,  and a ban on air-bombs.

There will also be a crackdown on illegal markets in fireworks with Customs and Excise,  Trading Standards Departments and the Health & Safety Executive working together to curb the import and sale of illegal and unsafe fireworks.

There are a number of other measures in the Act and,  if you need further details of these,  please let me know and I will send them to you.  You can contact me:  by letter to Gilbert Wakefield House, 67 Bewsey Street, Warrington, WA3 4BS; by phone on 01925 232 480; by fax on 01925 232 239; and by e-mail at jonesh@parliament.uk