Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of mandating silent fireworks on (a) noise reduction, (b) animal welfare and (c) public health.

There has been no assessment of the potential impacts of mandating silent fireworks in respect to noise reduction and the impacts on animal welfare and public health. Lower noise fireworks are commercially available to consumers to purchase if they wish to, potentially reducing distress to vulnerable groups and animals. This year's fireworks campaign also encourages the use of low noise fireworks.

To inform future decisions about the regulation of fireworks, I am engaging with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks.