Fireworks Safety

Part of Business of the House – in the House of Commons at 12:47 pm on 29 October 2009.

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Photo of Shona McIsaac Shona McIsaac Labour, Cleethorpes 12:47, 29 October 2009

I think I know what the hon. Gentleman is going to say. I will give way to him in a few seconds.

The members of the Fire Brigades Union also told me that the nature of the fireworks available now gave them great cause for concern, and I agree with them. This is where I differ from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary. We are no longer talking about the Catherine wheels and the rockets in milk bottles that I remember from my childhood. Nowadays, fireworks come in huge, heavy "cakes", as they are known. Yes, they have to be lit only once, but they are massive and completely inappropriate for domestic gardens. In our area, there are many small, terraced houses. The instructions on these "cakes" specify the distance that people are supposed to keep from them, yet they are being used in those settings. I am worried about the inappropriate use of these very large, modern fireworks.