MP welcomes review on sky lanterns

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed news that the government will launch a long-awaited inquiry into Sky Lanterns and their impact on livestock.

In a written statement to Parliament, Farming Minister David Heath said: "In order to assess the extent of the dangers posed by sky lanterns and possible steps to address such dangers, DEFRA proposes to commission an independent study to examine in detail the scale of the risks associated with the use of sky lanterns, and their impact on livestock, crops and the environment. The results of this study will help inform any future Government action."

Tim has backed the NFU / Women's Farming Union's campaign which calls on the Government to look at this issue and try and create guidelines that work for farmers and the public. In January 2012 Spain banned the use of lanterns.

Commenting today Tim said: "Sky lanterns can cause fire damage to crops and property and pose a serious threat to animal welfare. I hope that this review leads to a dramatic change so that these seemingly innocent things are not allowed to cause such suffering and damage."