HC Deb 23 July 2002 vol 389 cc1056-7W
Ms Drown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were for(a) carrying a loaded air weapon in a public place, (b) a person under 14 having an air weapon, (c) a person under 17 having an air weapon in a public place and (d) the sale of air weapons to minors in the last five years. [67831]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth

The information requested is contained in the table.

Statistics for 2001 will be available in the autumn.

Persons found guilty at all courts for various offences under the Firearms Act 1968, England and Wales 1996 to 20001,2
Offence description Statute Year Found guilty
Carrying a loaded air weapon in a public place, etc. Firearms Act 1968, Sec 19 1996 202
1997 220
1998 195
1999 176
2000 170
Person under 14 having with him an air weapon or ammunition therefor Firearms Act 1968, Sec 22 (4) 1996 12
1997 8
1998 6
1999 12
2000 16
Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place Firearms Act 1968, Sec 22 (5) 1996 43
1997 51
1998 47
1999 54
2000 52
Selling or letting on hire an air weapon or ammunition to a person under 17 Firearms Act 1968, Sec 24 (1) 1996 2
1997 1
1998 3
1999 1
2000 —

1These data are on the principal offence basis.

2Staffordshire police were able to submit sample data only for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts in the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.