§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the number of cases in which firearms have been used against police officers, and to a Return issued by the Home Office in 1913, showing that during five years forty-eight officers had been shot at; if he is aware that his precursor in office promised more than two years ago to bring forward a Bill to restrict the carrying of firearms; and, in view of the recent death from shooting at Hampstead of Detective Alfred Young, S division, Metropolitan Police, when in the execution of his duties, and of other eases subsequent to those in the Return, in which the lives of policemen have been sacrificed, and also of the many deaths of civilians from the careless use of revolvers, will he consider whether the time is opportune for introducing legislation to restrict the carrying of pistols and to provide that no person may bring a revolver into the country?
§ Sir J. SIMONI fear the present time is not opportune for dealing with a question which experience has shown to be very controversial. I would, however, direct the hon. Member's attention to Regulations 30 and 31 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations. By Regulation 31 no firearms may be brought into the United Kingdom without a permit from a competent naval or military authority.