Chamber and committees

I accept that, but you will be aware that people in white vans turn up in those communities to sell illegal fireworks.

I want to scrutinise the licensing scheme. I support what the Government is trying to achieve but I have the same concern as other members, which is that the scheme might miss the target.

Last week, industry representatives told us about Northern Ireland, which has a population of 1.85 million and where 515 licences were issued. The suggestion was that the people who should be applying for licences were not doing so. If those figures were extrapolated to Scotland, there would be around 1,500 licences, but 250,000 fireworks are bought in Scotland each year. You can see the issue.

I have been trying to get my head around the legislation. I think that I understand it. You are talking about a culture change. Ordinary families and individuals may misuse fireworks, which are not illegal. That is where the concern comes from. They do not realise that the noise can disturb animals or children with autism. That would be dealt with by the licensing scheme. How confident are you that people or families who want to set off fireworks will sit down to apply for a licence and pay the £20, £30 or £50?

I just want to be clear in my mind about how the bill would work. There are 37 days when people would be allowed to set off fireworks. Does that mean that it would be an offence if someone set off fireworks in their back garden on another day? I am hearing a yes to that.

In evidence last week, someone who was representing the retail trade—I think that Jamie Greene mentioned this earlier—talked about the growing desire to set off fireworks for gender reveals, big birthdays or whatever. Personally, that fills me with dread, to be honest. I support the Government’s view that we need a culture change and that setting off fireworks every day of the year causes a nuisance.

I just want to be clear that it would be a police reporting matter if someone’s neighbour set off fireworks outwith the 37 days. Would that be a reportable offence?

Norman Donald said that there was scope for more use of fireworks for celebrating. I have to express concern about the notion that the industry position would be just to have fireworks all year round and, if there was an increase in the use of them, we would not do anything. As you said, even with good intentions, firework displays in the back garden are going to annoy the neighbours, especially if they have animals.

I do not have the answer, but surely there is food for thought. If people celebrate the birth of their baby, or whatever, by using fireworks, does that not imply that there would be a further increase in their use, albeit legitimate and legal—after all, who would not want to be there? Do you not see that having such activity all year round is a problem for society?

No—I was talking about setting them off. You did not take my point.

Forensically, you could tell the difference. At the end of the day, it does not really matter, if the firework goes off in a public place.

I thought that what I mentioned was in Andy Hubble’s submission, but it is in Fraser Stevenson’s, from the British Fireworks Association. I apologise.

Good morning. Thanks for your evidence. I found it powerful, but I have a number of questions. I will confine this set of questions to establishing what you think the extent is of the problem of antisocial behaviour.

Maybe all of us are agreed that the problem that we are trying to solve is misuse of fireworks. Andy Hubble’s written submission talks about section 80 of the Explosives Act 1875 and about Pollokshields, which I have an interest in because I am a Glasgow member. I have spoken to representatives in Pollokshields, where fireworks are clearly a massive nuisance—not just in November, but at other times of the year. In your submission, you say that “no action was taken.” I have been trying to establish that with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and have, as yet, been unable to do so. Where did you get your evidence that no action was taken?

Can I ask a final question as well?

So your view is that the matter is not being taken seriously enough either by the police or by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

Would you like to add to that, Andy?