§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stolen or unregistered firearms have been repossessed by police in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [22294]
§ Mr. MacleanThis information is not available centrally.
§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) handguns and (b) other firearms respectively were reported missing or stolen in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [22295]
§ Mr. MacleanThe available information relates to notifiable offences of burglary and theft recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been stolen by type of principal weapon.
The table shows the number of offences in England and Wales. More than one firearm may have been stolen in each offence.
Year Pistols Other firearms Total 1990 187 1,358 1,545 1991 203 1,633 1,836 1992 273 1,851 2,124 1993 334 2,180 2,514 1994 266 1,950 2,216 Figures for 1995 are not yet available.
§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lawfully held(a) handguns and (b) other firearms there are in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [22297]
§ Mr. MacleanOn 31 December 1994, the firearm certificates on issue were estimated to cover about 396,800 firearms. Figures on the breakdown between handguns and other firearms are not held centrally. Figures for 1995 are not yet available.
§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current guidelines for the removal of firearms licences; how many people in each of the last five years have had their licences revoked; and if he will make a statement. [22298]
§ Mr. MacleanA firearm certificate may be revoked if the chief officer of police is satisfied that the holder is, by virtue of previous convictions, prohibited from possessing firearms, or is of intemperate habits or unsound mind, or is otherwise unfitted to be entrusted with a firearm. The courts also have the power to cancel certificates.
The number of firearm certificate revocations in England and Wales in the last five years for which information is available is as follows:
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- 1990: 192
- 1991: 210
- 1992: 146
- 1993: 147
- 1994: 193
§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in England and Wales have a licence for(a) one firearm, (b) two firearms, (c) three firearms, (d) four firearms and (e) for more than four firearms; and if he will make a statement. [22299]
§ Mr. MacleanThis information is not available centrally.
Offences initially recorded as homicide in which a victim was shot with a firearm by outcome of offence1 and type of firearm England and Wales Number of offences Offences in which; Year of offence Type of firearm Total offences initially recorded a suspect was identified a suspect committed suicide or died a suspect was prosecuted2 a suspect was convicted of homicide 1990 Hand gun 21 15 — 15 12 Shot gun 38 32 8 24 21 Other firearm 5 4 — 3 3 Total 64 51 8 42 36 1991 Hand gun 23 15 6 9 5 Shot gun 28 25 8 17 16 Other firearm 3 3 — 3 2 Total 54 43 14 29 23 1992 Hand gun 35 23 6 17 14 Shot gun 19 18 4 14 13 Other firearm 1 1 — 1 1 Total 55 42 10 32 28 1993 Hand gun 36 19 3 16 14 Shot gun 39 36 7 29 22 Other firearm — — — — — Total 75 55 10 45 36 1994 Hand gun 28 15 1 14 1 Shot gun 32 25 4 21 8 Other firearm 5 5 2 3 2 Total 65 45 7 38 11 1 As at 4 August 1995; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. 2 Of which, offences pending: 1990:-, 1991: 1, 1992: 1, 1993: 5, 1994: 25.
§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what waiting period exists in the application process for a firearms licence; and if he will make a statement. [22302]
§ Mr. MacleanThere is no statutory waiting period, but a chief officer of police must first satisfy himself that the applicant has a good reason for possessing the firearm in respect of which the application is made, and can be permitted to have it in his possession without danger to the public safety or to the peace. The chief officer is precluded from issuing a certificate to anyone whom he has reason to believe to be, by virtue of previous convictions, prohibited from possessing firearms, or to be of intemperate habits or unsound mind, or to be for any reason unfitted to be entrusted with a firearm.
§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what current regulations exist concerning the storage of firearms and ammunition; and if he will make a statement. [22303]
§ Mr. MacleanThe Firearms Rules 1989 prescribed a new safekeeping condition to appear on all firearms certificates. This requires all certificate holders to store
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§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the(a) prosecuted, (b) convicted and (c) cleared up homicides in each of the last five years have involved (i) handguns, (ii) shotguns and (iii) other firearms; and if he will make a statement. [22301]
§ Mr. MacleanThe available information is contained in the table:
securely the firearms and ammunition to which the certificate relates, so as to prevent, as far as is reasonably practicable, unauthorised access. Certificate holders are also required to take reasonable precautions for safekeeping in other circumstances such as when the firearm is being cleaned, used or transferred. It is an offence not to comply with the conditions of a certificate. The maximum penalty for this offence is six months imprisonment or a fine of £5,000, or both.