Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum

Overview

About the Bill

This Bill would seek to restrict the supply and use of certain kinds of fireworks and pyrotechnic articles. An example of a pyrotechnic article would be a distress flare.

The Bill impacts businesses and individuals. It creates a new licensing system which means that:

• members of the public will need a licence to buy, possess or use certain fireworks
• businesses supplying fireworks will need to confirm that the people getting the fireworks either have a licence or don’t need one

It will be a criminal offence to buy, possess or use fireworks without licence, or to supply fireworks to a person without a licence. It will also be an offence to give fireworks or pyrotechnic articles to a child, or buy them on behalf of a child.

The Bill specifies that certain fireworks can only be supplied to, and used by, members of the public at certain times, including:

• Vaisakhi
• Guy Fawkes Day
• Hogmanay
• Chinese New Year
• Diwali

There are exemptions for organised public firework displays and professionally organised displays.

In addition, the Bill grants local authorities the powers to set-up ‘firework control zones’. Councils will be able to restrict the use of fireworks in these zones, although professionally organised or public displays may still be allowed.

The possession of pyrotechnic articles when travelling to or at certain places and events will become an offence under the Bill. This could include certain sports events, sports grounds or music events.

The new rules created by the Bill will be enforced by trading standards or Police Scotland.

Current status of the Bill 

Read and find out more about the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill.

Stage 1

The Criminal Justice Committee has been designated as the lead Committee and is responsible for scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1. A separate call for views on the Bill’s policy provisions has been issued by the lead Committee and has been published on this consultation platform.

Financial Memorandum

As with all Bills, the Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum (FM).

Read the FM published alongside this Bill.

Questions

1. Did you take part in any consultation exercise preceding the Bill and, if so, did you comment on the financial assumptions made? 
2. If applicable, do you believe your comments on the financial assumptions have been accurately reflected in the FM?
3. Did you have sufficient time to contribute to the consultation exercise?
4. If the Bill has any financial implications for you or your organisation, do you believe that they have been accurately reflected in the FM? If not, please provide details.
5. Do you consider that the estimated costs and savings set out in the FM are reasonable and accurate? 
6. If applicable, are you content that your organisation can meet any financial costs that it might incur as a result of the Bill? If not, how do you think these costs should be met? 
7. Does the FM accurately reflect the margins of uncertainty associated with the Bill’s estimated costs and with the timescales over which they would be expected to arise? 

How to submit your views

Please submit your views using the online submission form, linked to below.

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language. 

The call for views closes on 11 March 2022.