Seòmar agus comataidhean

I will pick up on the point about licensing and legislation. Your written submission is interesting. You comment:

“Further legislation is not required ... but, of course, as an industry, we would say that, wouldn’t we?”

That is interesting. It might be people’s perception that, because there is an industry, that is your job.

Would you ever support a scheme in which licences were available for organised displays only and in which individual members of the public were not able to buy licences?

It would not be a ban on firework displays.

Norman, your business is open all year round, but can you give the committee a picture of your peak sales over the year? I assume that there is a peak in November around bonfire night, but are there others? The reason that I ask is that, in my neighbourhood, we have a pop-up shop that sells fireworks only for a short period. Have you thought about something like that? What is your pattern of sales over the year?

Thank you.

I am sorry, Mr Donald—can I interrupt you? What evidence do you have for saying that?

I have never complained, but I have seen the distress that fireworks cause my animals. Not everybody complains when there is a problem. I understand your use of those figures, but they are not representative of how the public experience the situation.

I am sorry to interrupt again, but it is not necessarily about misuse. Sometimes, it is just use of fireworks that is the problem.

Can I just intervene? I am a dog owner—

So, you do not believe in consulting the public.

You are giving your opinion, Mr Donald. I do not think that that is correct, but we will leave it at that.