SCSN have been active members of the Fireworks Review Group and we have worked together with a range of partners, most notably on a joint campaign with the Scottish Society for the Protection of Animals (SSPCA), to raise awareness of harms caused by fireworks and for changes to regulations governing the sale and use of fireworks.
We welcome the news that following on from the final report of the Fireworks Review Group, the Minister for Community Safety has laid regulations in the Scottish Parliament for consideration based on some of the recommendations of the Group.
These are to:
- Amend the times of day fireworks can be used by the general public to between 6pm and 11pm, with the exception of 5 November (when they can be used from 6pm until midnight), New Year’s Eve, the night of Chinese New Year and the night of Diwali (when they can be used from 6pm until 1am).
- Amend the times of day fireworks can be sold to the general public to during the daytime hours of 7am and 6pm
- Amend the quantity of fireworks that can be sold by retailers to individuals who do not have an explosives licence from 50kg to 5kg
Should the Scottish Parliament approve these regulations, we agree with the Minister that they will lead to tangible improvements for communities across Scotland and contribute to safer communities.
We are pleased that some of the recommendations of the Fireworks Review Group are still being considered and we fully support these being brought before parliament for consideration at the earliest opportunity – including the introduction of mandatory conditions at point of sale and no firework areas/zones.
You can find further details online on the Parliament website.