Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to increase funding for local authorities to improve the (a) regulation, (b) sale and (c) use of fireworks.

The Government takes the issues associated with the use and sale of fireworks seriously and we understand the importance of ensuring that the comprehensive legislation in place for fireworks is enforced effectively.

Local Authority Trading Standards work with retailers to ensure that fireworks being sold are safe, and they have powers to enforce against those who place non-compliant fireworks on the market. Trading Standards (and local fire and rescue authorities in metropolitan counties) can also enforce against those selling fireworks without an appropriate licence, for example, outside the normal selling periods of November 5th, Diwali, New Year’s Eve and the Chinese New Year.

Funding for local authority regulatory services is determined locally and provided as part of the revenue support grant to the local authority. The role of the Office for Product Safety and Standards is to lead and co-ordinate the product safety system, provide national capacity and support local enforcement.

We continue to engage with Local Authorities, as part of our ongoing programme of work on fireworks, to better understand the issues they face and to ensure that the Government is providing the appropriate support.