The Earl of Haddingtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will:
- (a) list all Home Office circulars issued since 1968 concerning the administration of the current Firearms Acts to date, with an explanation why some of the circulars that are issued on different topics and dates in the same year are given the same reference number; and
- (b) list all such circulars that are issued with the same reference number, giving dates. [HL2184]
§ Lord Williams of MostynHome Office circulars to the police, including those on firearms matters, are numbered for reference sequentially within each year of issue. A list of all such circulars to chief officers of police on firearms licensing matters from 1968 to the present is set out below:
141WA
1968 12/68 Criminal Justice Act 1967 21/68 Amnesty and Appeal for Surrender 59/68 Part V of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 155/68 Firearms Act 1968 208/68 The Transfer of Functions (Prohibited Weapons) Order 1968 258/68 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1968 1969 32/69 The Firearms (Dangerous Air Weapons) Rules 1969 181/69 The Firearms Rules 1969 142WA
255/69 Firearms Act 1968 Memorandum of Guidance (Revised) 1970 288/69 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1970 1971–1974 No circulars issued on firearms licensing 1975 81/75 The Firearms (Removal to Northern Ireland) Order 1975 104/75 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1975 105/75 The Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) Order 1975: Application under the Firearms Act 1968 1976 148/75 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1976 202/76 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) (No. 2) Order 1976 1977 84/77 The Firearms (Removal to Northern Ireland) Order 1975 1978 40/78 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1978 1979 25/79 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1979 67/79 Firearms Fees 1980 54/80 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1980 1981 No circulars on firearms licensing issued 1982 11/82 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 86/82 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 1983 83/83 I. Firearms (Certificates Granted in Great Britain and Air Weapons lawfully held in Great Britain) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1981 II. Firearms (Removal to Northern Ireland) Order 1975 91/83 Firearms Act 1982 92/83 Firearms Act 1982 1984 18/84 Electric Shock Batons and Similar Devices 47/84 Working Party to Review the Administration of the Firearms Act 1968 1985 29/85 Working Party to Review the Administration of the Firearms Act 1968: I. Territorial Condition II. Provision of Zeroing Rifles 1986 59/86 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1986 1987 46/87 I. The Crossbows Act 1987 II. Territorial Conditions on Firearm Certificates 1988 31/88 Firearms Amnesty: Appeal for Surrender of Guns 1989 2/189 The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 45/89 The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 75/89 The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988: Visitors Permit Scheme: Removal of Firearms to Northern Ireland 1990 25/90 Approval of Rifle and Pistol Clubs under Section 15 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988: New Criteria 40/90 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1990 1991 6/91 The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988: Removal of Firearms to Northern Ireland 94/91 Administration of the Firearms Licensing System 1992 95/92 The Firearms Acts (Amendment) Regulations 1992 1993 27/93 The Firearms (Dangerous Air Weapons) (Amendment) Regulations Act 1993 1994 37/94 The Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 1994 64/94 The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1994 The Firearms (Period of Certificates) Order 1994 The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 1994 1995–1996 No circulars on firearms licensing issued 1997 32/97 The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 68/97 The Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997 1998 No circulars on firearms licensing issued to date. Home Office records from 1968 onwards do not record any circular on firearms matters having the same number as any other circular for that year. Copies of Home Office circulars to the police are routinely placed in the Library.