Offensive Weapons (Hansard, 3 November 1988)

§ 9. Mr. Gill
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to prevent the manufacture and supply of offensive weapons; and if he will make a statement.

§ 15. Dr. Twinn
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to prevent the manufacture and supply of offensive weapons; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We have taken powers in the new Criminal Justice Act enabling the Secretary of State to specify, by affirmative order, weapons that it will be an offence to manufacture, sell, import, hire, give or lend. The purpose of this provision is to take out of circulation altogether weapons that have no legitimate use. A draft order specifying 14 martial arts and other weapons was brought before Parliament for approval on 19 October.

§ Mr. Gill
What possible legitimate justification can there be for the continued sale and manufacture of crossbows—a fairly recent phenomenon which the public increasingly feel to be a menace, not just to human, but to animal life?

§ Mr. Hogg
My hon. Friend will recall that last year we tackled the problem of crossbows through legislation and increased controls over them. We intend to review legislation on crossbows to determine whether any further changes need to be made.

§ Dr. Twinn
I congratulate my hon. Friend and his colleagues on the action they have taken to reduce the threat from knives and other weapons. Is he aware that there is still considerable concern about other weapons that will still be freely available? Is he further aware that this week in Enfield borough, which lies within my constituency, catapults are freely available and are being sold from the same shop window as sporting guns? That is of considerable concern to the public.

§ Mr. Hogg
I understand my hon. Friend's concern. We considered catapults, but there were two difficulties about putting them on the order. First, they have a legitimate use, as many anglers use them for the distribution of bait. Secondly, it is difficult to make a sensible distinction between catapults made commercially and those made by young people at home.

§ Mr. Cryer
Although I endorse the prohibition of minor weapons such as crossbows, may I ask the Home Office to go after the Mrs. Big of offensive weapons, a faded blonde who lives at No. 10 Downing street, who is producing more weapons—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Such questions do not enhance our proceedings.

§ Mr. Cryer
She is touting an international trade in offensive weapons—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. We refer to each other either by ministerial titles or as hon. Members. Please do that.

§ Mr. Cryer
She is manufacturing weapons—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Will the hon. Gentleman kindly rephrase his question?

§ Mr. Cryer
Will the Minister take action—[HON. MEMBERS: "Withdraw."]—against the organisers—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman will rephrase his question. I have already asked him to do so.

§ Mr. Cryer
In case my question was unclear, I was referring to the Prime Minister as being the head of a Government who are engaged in the international arms trade and who are producing weapons of mass extermination. Surely such matters are of as great a concern to citizens as crossbows.

§ Mr. Hogg
The hon. Gentleman's question is unworthy of response.

§ Mr. Hoyle
Will the Minister reconsider high-velocity catapults? Is he aware that they have caused deaths, one wilfully? Is he further aware that they have caused tremendous damage in Cheshire, where one school has been severely damaged? I have already written to the hon. Gentleman and I now ask him to give the matter further consideration.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
I will, of course, give the matter further consideration. The hon. Gentleman has drawn my attention to a particular case. The arguments that I have previously mentioned in the Chamber are persuasive. At the moment, it would not be right to depart from the conclusions that we reached.