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Firework Nuisance

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Norfolk (Mr. Bellingham) not only on securing tonight’s debate but on making such an excellent speech. I also congratulate his constituent, Teresa Kulkarni, who has done tremendous work in collecting such a large number of signatures on, I believe, her second petition on fireworks. The latest petition attracted 129,000 signatures and the previous one more than 90,000. She has put in a great deal of hard work in a good cause. I rise to speak in favour of an outright ban on the retail sale of fireworks. I do so not only because I believe in a ban, but because my local newspaper, the Kettering Evening Telegraph, has called for such a ban. The Evening Telegraph should be applauded for its work in Northamptonshire on the issue. It conducted a survey of more than 800 local people, 88 per cent. of whom supported a ban on the retail sale of fireworks. Many of the national opinion polls testing political opinion conducted country-wide by MORI and other polling organisations involve about 1,000 respondents, so to get 800 respondents in the area covered by a local newspaper is truly impressive. The fact that such a large proportion are in favour of a ban sends a clear message to the Government that the mood has already turned. There are three main issues related to the retail sale of fireworks, but all revolve around fireworks getting into the wrong hands and being used in antisocial behaviour. I draw to the Minister’s attention a recent case from 24 October highlighted in the Evening Telegraph. Mr. Aidan Cardew, aged 25, of Mill road, Kettering, was walking home at 2.30 am following a night out with his younger brother when he was hit in the face by a firework that had been fired horizontally from a local park— It being Ten o’clock, the motion for the Adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put. Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—[Jonathan Shaw.]