HC Deb 21 July 1988 vol 137 c748W
19. Mr. Ron Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been convicted for firearms offences in England and Wales during the current year to date; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

There were 2,820 convictions under the Firearms Act 1968 in 1986, the latest year for which information is available. These were for various offences of non-compliance with the law on the possession and use of firearms. With regard to the use of firearms in crime, in 1987 the police recorded 9,000 notifiable offences in which firearms were reported to have been used. Details are available in Home Office statistical bulletin 19/1988, a copy of which is in the Library.