§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many legally registered firearms have been(a) reported stolen, (b) found to be missing and (c) otherwise separated from (i) private and (ii) public owners in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage that represents of the total number of legally held weapons. [81131]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 21 April 1999]Records are not maintained by the RUC in a manner that would provide a breakdown of firearms stolen or found to be missing into the categories requested. However I am advised by the Chief Constable that the total numbers of legally registered firearms reported stolen or found to be missing from private and public owners in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years are follows:
Period Private Public Total 16 April 1989-15 April 1990 78 5 83 16 April 1990–15 April 1991 79 10 89 16 April 1991–15 April 1992 76 1 77 16 April 1992–15 April 1993 87 4 91 16 April 1993–15 April 1994 84 1 85 16 April 1994–15 April 1995 84 2 86 16 April 1995–15 April 1996 80 2 82 16 April 1996–15 April 1997 97 3 100 16 April 1997–15 April 1998 143 2 145 16 April 1998–15 April 1999 125 4 129 Total 933 34 967 In the present context "public owners" is taken to mean those public sector employees who require a firearm for their official duties and hold same on foot of a firearms certificate issued to them by the Chief Constable.The methods used by the RUC to keep firearms statistics in general, or those reported stolen or found to be missing do not permit a percentage calculation for the years requested.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the names of approved firearms clubs giving(a) the estimated membership of each, (b) the parliamentary constituency in which its premises are located and (c) the (i) number and (ii) types of weapons reported (1) stolen and (2) lost from each club in the last five years.[81132]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 21 April 1999]The following is a list of firearms clubs authorised by the Secretary of State under Article 54 of the Firearms (NI) Order 1981 together with the estimated membership of each and the Parliamentary Constituencies in which the clubs' authorised premises are located. I am advised by the Chief Constable that information regarding the number and types of firearms reported stolen or lost from each club in the last five years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Firearm Clubs Name of club Estimated number of members Parliamentary constituency 2390 Squadron Air Training Corps-Belfast Royal Academy Rifle Club 10 Belfast, North Ulster Rifle Association 394 Belfast, South Ardnavalley Scout Activity Centre 10 Belfast, South Roe Valley Rifle Club 19 East Londonderry Laghey Small Bore Pistol and Rifle Club 53 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Dungannon Rifle and Pistol Club 134 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Dungannon Royal School Rifle Club 17 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Sherrygroom Rifle and Pistol Club 35 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Omagh District USCA Rifle Club 141 Fermanagh and South Tyrone Tully Sports Club 16 Fermanagh and South Tyrone City of Derry Rifle and Pistol Club 16 Foyle Creevedonnell Air Rifle Club 34 Foyle Coolkeeragh Air Rifle Club 10 Foyle Co Londonderry XB Rifle and Pistol Club 73 Foyle BT (NI) Small Bore Pistol and Rifle Club 101 Lagan Valley Downshire Rifle Club 55 Lagan Valley Marlin Rifle Club 17 Lagan Valley Downpatrick USCA Rifle Club 41 Lagan Valley Orritor Rifle Club 19 Mid-Ulster Desertmartin Air Rifle Club 47 Mid-Ulster Mowillian Air Rifle Club 19 Mid-Ulster Castledawson Rifle and Pistol Club 24 Mid-Ulster Culnady Air Rifle Club 17 Mid-Ulster Armagh Royal School Rifle Club 64 Newry and Armagh Leopold Street Rifle Club 17 North Antrim Ballymena Rifle and Pistol Club 65 North Antrim Michelin Athletic Small Bore Section RC 24 North Antrim North Antrim Small Bore Rifle Club 20 North Antrim Tully Shooting Club 72 North Antrim Clandeboye, Bangor and District Rifle and Pistol Club 248 North Down Bangor and District Small Bore Rifle Club 24 North Down Carrowdore and District Shooting and Recreational Club 29 North Down Rockport School Shooting Club 30 North Down Bangor Grammar School Combined Cadet Force Air Rifle Club 10 North Down East Antrim Rifle Club 177 South Antrim Fortwilliam Rifle Club 14 South Antrim Jordanstown Scout Group Air Rifle Club 19 South Antrim RAF Aldergrove Full Bore Shooting Club 30 South Antrim Belfast Home Guard 15 Strangford Shorts RC 17 Strangford IEL Rifle Club 13 Strangford Comber Rifle Club 128 Strangford Loughbrickland Small Bore Rifle Club 124 Upper Bann Portadown Ulster Home Guard 10 Upper Bann Mill Valley Shooting Club 34 Upper Bann Omagh Scout Group Rifle Club 18 West Tyrone Bready Air Rifle Club 38 West Tyrone Donemanagh Air Rifle Club 12 West Tyrone
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many legally held firearms there are in Northern Ireland(a) in total and (b) of each type. [81133]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 21 April 1999]The Chief Constable has advised me that at 31 December 1998 there were 139,588 legally held firearms in Northern Ireland. The breakdown of these is as follows:
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Type of firearm Number Shotguns 90,548 Airguns 22,109 Rifles 14,254 Handguns 12,090 Miscellaneous 1587 1Mainly firearms used for the humane killing of animals In relation to the reply give to my hon. Friend on 16 April 1999, Official Report, columns 359–60, I would advise that the figure quoted for miscellaneous firearms was incorrect. The correct figure is quoted on this occasion.