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"If you look at
the DTI website on fireworks what do you find?
All references to firework safety are directed to
the firework industry. This is the same
industry who were in the trough year after year
scrapping each other for business. Some of
these members were pulled up by Explosives
Inspectors and Trading Standards Officers for
dubious practises, and it is these people the DTI
are happy to advise on Firework Safety.
"
Every year for the past 20 years the firework
injury statistics for the period October 15 to
just after November 5 have been released before
the Parliamentary Easter Recess. Now that
we have a second sales period for the whole of
December which are released as separately.
When the Campaign first began in November 1969,
the figures were announced democratically on the
floor of the House of Commons, and questions were
allowed. As a result the issue was
discussed and action taken. Since then the
issue of UK Injuries was given to the Department
of Trade in 1975 who cloak everything in secrecy.
The figures are sneaked out in a Written Reply
when they think nobody is looking.
But this year, just before Easter, the DTI
announced that "due to an administrative
problem" there would be a delay in the
publication of the firework figures, but no
release date was given. Subsequently, the
date was pushed into the long grass and now an
Election has been called. Originally we
were told the figures would be published on the
last week of Government business. Linda
Gilroy MP, who proposed the Fireworks Safety
Regulations Bill in 1998, lent her name to the
"friendly PQ". On the last day of
Government Business, 11th May, Linda Gilroy does
not know what has happened. She gave her
name in good faith to the PQ, but it seems she
has been used. The DTI are disclaiming all
knowledge except to say, "It is not our
decision it is a political decision".
We rest our case.
A Department of Consumer Protection
Last year, we asked if it was sensible
that consumer protection should be left to the
market place. The Department of Trade after
all is pushing trade. It does not take into
account the needs of protection for the consumer.
Even the Americans do not do that, they have a
powerful Consumer Protection Body. It is
independent from Trade.
If you look at the DTI website on fireworks what
do you find? All references to firework
safety are directed to the firework industry.
This is the same industry who were in the trough
year after year scrapping each other for business.
Some of these members were pulled up by
Explosives Inspectors and Trading Standards
Officers for dubious practises, and it is these
people the DTI are happy to advise on Firework
Safety. So we say today to the new
Government when they are elected, re-create the
Department of Consumer Protection, where all
safety matters are dealt with, independent from
the DTI which is committed to the business
interests and not the consumer.
After the Last Election
In 1977 we had a first rate Consumer
Affairs Minister for Labour Nigel Griffiths MP.
For the first time since Shirley Williams, back
in the heady days of the Department of Consumer
Protection, we had a man who was prepared to put
his money where his mouth was. His policies
were first rate on fireworks and many other
consumer issues. I used to tune in daily to
Radio 4's "You and Yours" to hear what
great consumer policies he had for us that day.
He even managed to carry the responsible members
of the firework industry with him on the
Fireworks Safety Regulations Bill. For the
first time in a century we had real fireworks
reforms, which dealt with the licensing of shops
through Local Authorities, the product itself,
National Training, proper categorisation of each
firework particularly those from category 3 and 4.
To compliment these powers it would be possible
to reintroduce an import license for fireworks
abolished by the mindless Thatcher mantra of de-regulation
of everything in sight in the 1980's.
That all disappeared when Nigel Griffiths was
replaced as Consumer Affairs Minister, and the
subject was downgraded. The Campaign will
fight for consumer affairs to return to the high
priority it had for two years under Nigel
Griffiths.
The Next Election
I don't believe in saying vote for this
person or that person because every local
candidate is different. But only a Labour
Government will bring back the Fireworks Safety
Regulations Bill, that we desperately need.
Only a Labour Government will bring back consumer
protection as we once knew it. Labour are
also committed to the return of the Anti-Hunt
Bill and many environment measures which we so
desperately need. These are the issues you
should bear in mind, when asked to vote, because
they affect you, your families and your pets, as
well as all the animal sanctuaries in this
country. I would also say on a personal
level that the Social Services are the other
great issue. Stuffing people's pockets with
gold whether through tax cuts or another Lottery
give-away will do nothing for these issues.
Best wishes as usual
Noel
15 May 2001
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