§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving(a) firearms and (b) knives there were in Sussex in each year since 1979. [142110]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe number of offences involving knives is not collected centrally. The number of firearms offences in Sussex for the years requested is given as follows, and is the total for all firearms, including air weapons.
181W
Year Number 1979 74 1980 63 1981 91 1982 63 1983 42 1984 65 1985 74 1986 74 1987 92 1988 103 1989 165 1990 193 1991 184 1992 198 1993 208 1994 195 1995 189 1996 177 1997 218 1998–991 315 1999–20001 377 1 Year ending March. There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which increased the overall number of offences recorded, of which firearms offences are a subset
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to hold(a) a firearms and (b) a knife amnesty. [142111]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeWe are in favour in principle of periodic firearms amnesties, although the details and timing would need to be considered carefully in consultation with the police service and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). A formal amnesty would raise a number of legal and practical issues which would need to be resolved in advance.
As regards an amnesty for knives, we are aware of the existence of some schemes which have apparently been successful locally in reducing the incidence of knife crime. However, knives are not subject to licensing or similar controls, and there are no current plans to introduce a national knives amnesty in this country. It will be for individual police forces and other interested parties to decide whether to have a knives amnesty scheme or not in their location.