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"The day the agreement (to ban 'Air Bombs') was made, …..
I had an E mail from a member of the Firework Industry. The first words were, "thank goodness it is not going to work, and then went on to show me the loophole that would make the ban fail. The ban will not take place in any case until 2003, after all currently held stocks have been sold."
The National Campaign for Firework Safety have produced two magnificent surveys on fireworks. The main survey deals with the situation where 361 different types of fireworks can be purchased on the Internet at a time when the industry has promised to do one of their voluntary bans on a fireworks that has been causing havoc throughout the country in the past few years. The second survey deals with the day to day events of 2001 In all parts of the UK one of the worst years for firework problems since the mid 1990s.
In the 'Noisy Fireworks' survey, eight internet firework suppliers were randomly selected and their attitude to selling noisy fireworks studied. The companies advertise fireworks for sale and use the noise the firework makes to promote its sales. Some firework suppliers boast of their firework, "loud thunderous reports, how loud "LOUD"". In another case, a firework is claimed to be "guaranteed to stir the depths of hell. I can proudly say that this is the loudest bang we have." Another firework is promoted by saying, "We have been reported for its noise, BEWARE." And again a firework is claimed to be "A 64 shot Sadam Hussein's dream come true." Another firework is advertised as being so loud that it can be "heard 5 miles away."
The second survey 'Firework Survey 2001' shows that fireworks are freely available all year around, with only a few months of the year when fireworks abuse was not in the news. The surveys deal with injuries, the fatalities, the day to day events in all parts of the country. It shows that nothing, but nothing, has been done to deal with the problem of the retail sales of fireworks. This survey finally disproves the voluntarily agreed sales period the Firework Industry made with the DTI.
361 Noisy Fireworks available on the Internet, and incidents of Firework Abuse happening throughout the year, shows fireworks are out of control. Here we go again, I hear you say. Well, we will soon be publishing these major surveys on the Internet, with hard copies being available to all safety organisations, and by mail for everyone else.
Meanwhile the firework industry is rushing around telling everybody there is not going to be a ban on retail sales because they have made an offer to the Government to get rid of aerial bombs. After Jane Kennedy, the Northern Ireland Security Minister, licensed all fireworks, except indoor fireworks in category 1, there was panic in the firework industry. It happens from time to time whenever the Government starts to review the current firework laws, made in 1875. The Firework Industry has rushed down to the DTI with the 'Air Bomb Ban' offer. I have to tell you that it is only a voluntary ban, another voluntary ban, and we all know what happens when the Firework Industry agrees to voluntary bans on fireworks. We have 30 years to look back on.
The day the agreement was made, or thought to be made with the DTI, I had an E mail from a member of the Firework Industry. The first words were, "thank goodness it is not going to work, and then went on to show me the loophole that would make the ban fail. The ban will not take place in any case until 2003, after all currently held stocks have been sold. We had all this in 1997, when some seemingly valuable proposals were made by our old friend Nigel Griffiths, the then Minister for Consumer Affairs, to do with category 4 fireworks. They were to be banned to the public. Then came the loopholes. To this day category 4 fireworks are available to anybody who really wants to get hold of them. Bangers and mini-rockets in category 2 & 3 were also banned. Last season 2001 there was more of these firework in every part of the community.
I had a letter from a lady about the deaths of her dogs because of firework noise and trauma. "On 9 April," she writes, "Our dear dog "Ben" was put to sleep. He refused to go for walks anymore after being terrified by fireworks on Christmas day and for months before and after. He deteriorated and developed arthritis in his spine, and became unable to control his back legs and was incontinent. My two other dogs prior to him died with heart attacks, fireworks terrified them. Collie dogs have very sensitive hearing and the "Bangers" are too loud. I will not be getting any more pet dogs now. Why have we had to listen to fireworks from September 2001 until the present date."
This is one of many letters from pet owners where an animal has suffered and died. To add to that children and adults have died in the past year. Thousands have been injured. Then we hear that the firework industry have made a deal with the Government. Sheer nausea for those who have suffered or who have had bereavements.
Once again this year we have been let down on the publication of the firework injury statistics. Things are actually getting worse. Governments used to hang on to the UK Injury Figures until Easter each year. They did that for about 30 years. Now they are not even bothering to publish the figures at Easter. There is a name for that. Some people have said, "stupidity", I say "arrogance". Such is the lack of thought and consideration of the firework problem, shown by this government. But it will rebound on them, and their friends, at the CBI, who will not be able to help them. The Press, several of which now actively support firework bans, are already using every opportunity on every issue, to have a dig at them.
Noel
May June 2002
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