Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether 9mm centrefire ammunition is, in general, only used with pistols and, if not, what is the estimate of the number of 9mm centrefire guns that will be legally held under Section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968, after full implementation of the provisions of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)In general, 9mm centrefire ammunition is only used with pistols. Certain self-loading carbines and sub-machine guns also take this ammunition, but these are prohibited weapons and held legally only by the armed forces and the police.
As the 9mm cartridge was introduced in 1903, it is expected that a number of pistols of this calibre will fall within the scope of Section 6(3) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, as firearms of "historic interest" which may be kept as Section 1 weapons at secure sites designated by the Secretary of State. A small number of higher calibre handguns kept for purposes specifically exempted under the 1997 Act—for example, those held in connection with the humane killing of animals—will be Section 1 weapons and may include those chambered for 9mm ammunition.
The Government anticipate that, following the implementation of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, the number of legally held Section 1 weapons chambered for 9mm centrefire ammunition will be very small.