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Lords amendment: No. 1, in page 2, line 11, leave out from "to" to end of line 15 and insert—
(a) any firearm (not being an air weapon) which is not for the time being specified in subsection (1) of section 5, was not lawfully on sale in Great Britain in substantial numbers at any time before 1988 and appears to him to be—
- (i) specially dangerous; or
- (ii) wholly or partly composed of material making it not readily detectable by apparatus used for detecting metal objects; or
(b) any ammunition which is not for the time being specified in that subsection but appears to him to be specially dangerous,5.38 pm
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Douglas Hogg)I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
The purpose of the amendment is to deal with a problem that probably has not yet arisen but it may do so. The problem is the possible manufacture of plastic guns or guns made with non-metallic substances and capable of avoiding detection by detecting machines, especially at airports. I say that it is probable that such guns do not at present exist, but one cannot be wholly certain. There are guns whose metal components can be dismantled and arranged in a suitcase or briefcase in such a way as to make detection very much less likely.
The purpose of the amendment is to enable us, where appropriate, to bring into the prohibited class guns of the description that I have given. It is right to say that that power is subject to two saving provisions designed to prevent its being used oppressively. First, the order will be subject to the affirmative procedure. Secondly, the power will not be applied to those weapons lawfully on sale in Great Britain in substantial numbers at any time before 1988.
§ Question put and agreed to.