HC Deb 04 March 1997 vol 291 cc535-6W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of illegal firearms entering the United Kingdom(a) via the channel tunnel and (b) via other points of access in each of the last five years. [18129]

Mr. Oppenheim

[holding answer 3 March 1997]: Customs does not hold central statistics of the number of illegal firearms entering the UK broken down in this way. The following table sets out the number of firearms seized by customs since 1992.

Year ended 31 March Hand guns Rifles Shot guns Total
1992 176 126 82 384
1993 138 41 39 218
1994 94 338 49 481
1995 261 49 111 421
1996 113,342 61 124 113,527
Totals 114,011 615 405 115,031
1 The large number of handguns seized was due to a single seizure of 13,260 flares incorporating barrels which are regarded as firearms within the meaning of the Firearms Acts.