§ 12. Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to break down future statistics for the use of firearms in the commission of crimes between those that are, or are not, held on firearm or shotgun certificates.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIt is not practicable, because many firearms used in offences are either not recovered or have had their serial numbers or distinguishing marks removed. There is no way of telling, therefore, whether they were originally held on a firearm or on a shotgun certificate.
§ Mr. BoswellGiven the considerable burdens that the new legislation will impose on legitimate shooters, will my hon. Friend reconsider whether he could publish as much as possible about the difference between guns which are held legally and those which are not known to be held legally, and whether he can measure as far as possible the leakage of legitimate guns, badly stored, into the illegitimate sector?
§ Mr. HoggMy hon. Friend will find two provisions in the Bill which will reassure him: first, the requirement for shotgun owners to identify and list their guns; and, secondly, the additional obligation on dealers to keep their registers for five years.