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Business of the House

My hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) is supposed to be on my side. On the important issue of fireworks, which I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth (Mr. Wright) for raising, the Government have taken action. Three new penalty notices and three new offences have been created to deal with the abuse of selling fireworks outside the normal and reasonable period for celebrating what will this year be the 400th anniversary of an important event in the nation’s life. We do not want to prevent those celebrations in any way. On the other hand, it is important that they are confined closely to the period around 5 November. I have not received the same number of complaints on the matter this year as in recent years, which, I believe, is because the legislation is having an impact. It is important, as he says, that we continue to publicise that legislation, to make sure that it continues to have the impact required.