§ Mrs. BrowningTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has issued a D notice in respect of moneys to be paid in compensation for the ban on full-bore handguns. [24171]
§ Mr. MichaelNo, and no such consideration has ever been given. There has been a great deal of misinformation circulating about matters relating to the new firearms legislation and its implementation. The operation of the Compensation Scheme has always been transparent, with the terms of the Scheme itself having been subject to Parliamentary scrutiny and regular and bona fide reports on payments progress issued to the public on request and to Parliament through answers to Parliamentary Questions and letters to MPs.
505WDefence Advisory Notices are agreed by the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee. I understand that there are six standing notices, none of which has been—nor could be—applied to the Firearms Compensation Scheme.
The Defence Advisory Notice System is a means of providing advice and guidance to the media about defence and counter-terrorist information, the publication of which would be damaging to national security. The six standing notices are issued by the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee to editors, publishers, programme makers and officials and form the basis of the voluntary code designed to avoid the publication of detail which would damage national security. Guidance on the application of the notices to particular circumstances is given by the Secretary to the Committee.