HC Deb 12 July 1973 vol 859 cc1758-60
6. Mr. Luce

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received from the public on the Green Paper entitled "The Control of Firearms in Great Britain".

Mr. Carlisle

The Home Office has received more than 3,200 letters.

Mr. Luce

In view of those representations and the widespread concern that many of these administrative controls proposed may prove to be unnecessarily burdensome, will my hon. and learned Friend consider extending still further the period of consultation on the Green Paper? I fully support any measures which will effectively control the use of firearms in crime, but does not my hon. and learned Friend agree that the strongest deterrent is the fuller implementation by the courts of the new powers of imprisonment they have available?

Mr. Carlisle

We are giving the greatest possible consideration to the large volume of representations that we have received, and we shall continue to do so. I am grateful to have the opportunity of repeating that this is a consultative document, on which we wish to hear representations. I cannot agree to extending beyond the end of July the time limit which we have already extended once, as we believe that it is important that we should be able to introduce legislation at an early date to do what we consider is necesssary about this matter. The final part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question is a matter for the courts and not one on which I should comment.

Mr. Raphael Tuck

It is now some time since the Green Paper was published. It not the Minister of State aware that since the Green Paper came out there have been further cases of intimidation with imitation weapons? Will he expedite either a White Paper or legislation? Has he given any consideration to my suggestion that all imitation firearms should be brightly coloured, so that people know the difference?

Mr. Carlisle

We are giving consideration to all suggestions. It has been pointed out to us that someone could sell a brightly-coloured firearm and a pot of paint alongside it. I am not prepared to expedite matters further. It is reasonable to allow until the end of July for representations, and that we propose to do.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Will my hon. and learned Friend confirm that it is not the Government's intention to restrict the lawful use of smooth-bore firearms for such activities as clay pigeon shooting or normal legitimate sport?

Mr. Carlisle

We have made it clear that there is no intention to prohibit the legitimate use of firearms and shotguns.

Mr. Pardoe

Has the Minister of State's attention been drawn by the Leader of the House to the suggestion I made in business questions about two weeks ago that this question should be referred to a Select Committee, particularly in view of the direct conflict of evidence between the statistics in the Green Paper—which many hon. Members on both sides may well have believed at the time—and those given in the book by Colin Greenwood, based on research done at the Cambridge Institute of Criminology?

Mr. Carlisle

I do not accept that it is a disagreement on the statistics as such. It may be a disagreement on what should be deduced from them. I see no basis for a Select Committee. I repeat that we are receiving numerous representations. I have already received certain deputations and made it clear that I am available to receive others, and officials will continue to be available.