§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of illegal firearms in circulation in each year since 1997 in(a) the UK, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk, (d) Essex, (e) Cambridgeshire and (f) Bury St Edmunds. [131843]
§ Caroline FlintThere are no reliable estimates of the number of firearms held illegally either on a national basis or in particular areas. The overall level of crime involving guns is low but we are developing a range of measures in conjunction with all interested parties to address the recent unacceptable rise in firearms offences.