Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of restricting the sale of high-noise fireworks in response to reports of harm to livestock and working farm dogs in West Dorset.

No assessment has been made of the potential impact of unregulated fireworks use on animal welfare, or merits of restricting sales of high-noise fireworks. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with stakeholders, including veterinary organisations, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action.

The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes guidance for those running community events, which encourages the use of low-noise fireworks and social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.