§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount of police time spent at Royal Ulster Constabulary headquarters processing and investigating applications for firearms including variations and renewals; what is the time spent on investigating the same certificates at divisional and local police station level; and if he will provide an estimate of the cost at each level.
§ Mr. AlisonAt 31 December 1980 one superintendent, one chief inspector, one inspector, one sergeant and one constable were engaged full-time at RUC headquarters on firearms control matters including the processing, and so on, of applications for the grant, variation and renewal of firearm certificates.
At divisional and station level the estimated average time taken for processing each application is as follows:
Application for grant 105 minutes Application for variation 85 minutes Application for renewal 40 minutes The estimated costs at headquarters and divisional levels for the financial year 1980–81 are £83,600 and £141,800 respectively.