§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
THE MARQUESS OF DUFFERIN AND AVAMy Lords, in moving that this Bill be read a second time I shall not have to detain your Lordships for more than a few moments. This Bill is purely a consolidation measure and, if your Lordships give it a Second Reading, will in due course go to the Committee on Consolidation Bills. Its purpose is to consolidate four Acts of Parliament relating to the manufacture, sale, purchase and possession of firearms and ammunition—namely, the Firearms Act, 1920, the Firearms and Imitation Firearms (Criminal Use) Act, 1933, the Firearms Act, 1934, and the Firearms (Amendment) Act, 1936. The Acts of 1934 and 1936 effected various amendments in the Act of 1920. As a result the law has become complicated and it is difficult for the trade to understand it or for the police to administer it. A Departmental Committee of 1934 on the classification and definition 580 of a firearm recommended that some measure such as this should be introduced, and in introducing the Firearms (Amendment) Act, 1936, promises were made, both here and in another place, that a Consolidation Act would follow. I therefore confidently recommend this Bill to your Lordships in the belief that it will help those who have to deal with the purchase of firearms and the administration of the laws relating to firearms and ammunition.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.