A SCOTTISH Government consultation is being launched today on whether the sale of fireworks to the general public should be banned.
It follows rising concerns about their misuse and the impact on public safety and animal welfare.
The consultation will ask what measures – including a ban on sales to the public – should be introduced to ensure fireworks are used safely and responsibly.
It has been backed by the Scottish SPCA which has campaigned for tighter restrictions on the sale and public use of fireworks for years.
“We are aware of cases where terrified dogs have run off because of the noise and tragically been killed on roads. We have also received reports of swans flying into electricity pylons, horses being badly injured after running through barbed wire fences and farm animals aborting their young,” said Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn.
He added: “Current legislation is so relaxed that fireworks can easily be misused and set off on any given day rather than being limited to major festival periods.”
“Animals have heightened senses and their hearing is much stronger than ours. The bang from a firework can be petrifying to an animal and some will panic and flee at the sound.”
Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said that while most people enjoyed fireworks responsibly at a range of events from to Diwali and Bonfire Night, they could cause great distress or even physical injury to people and animals when used irresponsibly.
“From conversations with members of the public and emergency service workers I am aware of concern about the use and sale of fireworks to individuals,” she said. “We want to work with others to reduce the negative impact of fireworks and the public’s voice is vital in shaping our approach going forward.
“While much of existing legislation on the sale of fireworks is reserved to Westminster, we hope this consultation will identify any gaps in the law and highlight where the regulation of fireworks could be improved.”
Legislation on the sale and storage of fireworks is reserved to the UK Government while laws covering their use is devolved.
However, a petition calling for the UK Government to review firework laws has gained more than 350,000 signatures since its launch in October last year. Julie Doorne, from the FAB Firework Abatement campaign, who started the petition, said the current legislation did not do enough to protect animals and people.
“We urgently need a review of fireworks regulations that should consider restricting private use and the purchase of fireworks to traditional dates such as November 5, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali,” she said.
She also wants the maximum permitted decibels for private use fireworks reduced from 120, which is above the human pain threshold, to 97, with fireworks packaging labelled to indicate the noise level.
All public fireworks displays should also be licensed, she said.
In January last year, the UK Government set up the Office for Product Safety and Standards after two parliamentary debates about the negative impact of fireworks but since then there has been little movement on the issue.
“We are disappointed that after three Government petitions, collecting over 100,000 signatures on each, and two parliamentary debates we are still waiting for the UK Government to act,” said Doorne.
A spokesperson for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “We want the public to enjoy fireworks but this must be done in a safe and considerate way.
“This is why we have robust laws in place controlling the sale and purchase of fireworks and continue to work with industry and retailers to promote their responsible use.”
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