HL Deb 12 October 1982 vol 434 c809WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they believe that police statistics accurately reflect the number of incidents involving the illegal use of air weapons, and whether they agree that the number of such incidents is increasing.

Lord Elton

The information recorded by the police relates only to serious offences in which air weapons were reported to have been used; the number of offences not reported to, or recorded by, the police is not known. Statistics on serious offences recorded by the police in which air weapons were reported to have been used are published annually inCriminal Statistics, England and Wales (Tables 3.3, 3.4 and 3.6 of the volume for 1980 (Cmnd. 8376)).