§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recent incident concerning the murder of Carl Bridgewater, he will introduce legislation to seek to make it an offence, punishable by life imprisonment, to have a gun or sawn-off shotgun without a current licence.
§ Mr. BrittanNo. As the law stands, the maximum penalty for possession of a sawn-off shotgun is five years' imprisonment; for possessing a firearm with criminal intent, 14 years' imprisonment; and for carrying a firearm with intent to resist arrest or with intent to injure, life imprisonment. The tragic death of Carl Bridgewater resulted in two sentences of life imprisonment and one of detention during Her Majesty's pleasure for murder; and a sentence of 12 years' imprisonment for manslaughter.
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he 178W will publish in the Official Report a list of the numbers of (a) new certificates, (b) certificates cancelled, (c) applications refused (d) certificates in force at the end of the year in relation to (i) firearms and (ii) shotguns as issued for each police area in England and Wales for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978;
(2) if he will publish in the Official Report the number of firearms registered or the total of certificates for firearms in force at the end of the year in each police area in England and Wales for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978.
§ Mr. BrittanSuch information is not recorded centrally for England and Wales, and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.