Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the effect of fireworks on the local environment.

The Fireworks Act 2003 and the Fireworks Regulations 2004 govern the use of fireworks, including possession of fireworks and the use of fireworks between certain hours. The enforcement of the Fireworks Regulations is the responsibility of the police, and responsibility for the legislation lies with Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards has been working to develop a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks, which includes environmental impact. The aim of the evidence base is to build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify what action - if any - is appropriate.