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Firework Nuisance

I am not a scientist, so I would not know how to legislate specifically on the amount of bang people get for their buck. The best thing would be to allow local communities to have more control over these issues, and we might have an opportunity in the new Session to tag such a provision on to the local government Bill. The Government have talked about using that measure to devolve power, and this might be an appropriate example. People who live in predominantly Hindu or Catholic communities, for example, might take a different view, or have different times of year for celebrations or for placing controls on them. However, it is important to have those controls over the totally irresponsible youths who have been mentioned. Earlier in this Session, we had an opportunity to bring in legislation that would have made offences against members of the emergency services more severe. In my neighbouring constituency of Blackpool, the fire services have just had an horrendous week in which they have been targeted on purpose by irresponsible and reckless individuals. I hoped that the Government would support that legislation—I am afraid that they did not—because it would have placed more responsibility on individuals who throw fireworks at police officers or firefighters responding to calls. It would have meant that those offences would have carried serious penalties, not just a slap on the wrist. That might have brought the responsible use of fireworks into people’s consciousness. A total ban would not be right, however, and I would oppose any such proposal. I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Norfolk that we need to introduce the concept of a season, and to ensure that people understand that there is a time and a place for this type of celebration. As long as that is the case, we can all live in harmony, rather than throw the baby out with the bath water.