§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has that persons under the age of 17 years who are the holders of shotgun certificates are unable to use such shotguns in safety.
§ Mr. HurdI am not aware of any evidence that certificate holders under this age are unable to use shotguns safely. It is generally not possible from the information collected centrally on court proceedings relating to firearms offences to distinguish whether the persons involved were certificate holders. A shotgun certificate would not be granted if the chief officer of police had reason to believe that the applicant could not be permitted to possess a shotgun without danger to the public safety or to the peace.
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he wll list his powers in cases where a chief officer of police fails to administer the firearms controls in accordance with the Firearms Act 1968.
§ Mr. HurdMy right hon. and learned Friend would have no authority to intervene in such a case, but under section 44 of the Firearms Act 1968 an appeal lies to the Crown Court against decisions made by a chief officer of police in England and Wales under part II of the Act.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 2 July, Official Report, column 1, on what evidence he based his statement that the overwhelming majority of people with firearms certificates for vermin control used rifles with fixed sights; and what is his definition of fixed sights.
§ Mr. HurdThe reply was based on the considerable experience of the police members of the working party on the administration of the Firearms Act 1968. The term "fixed sights" is intended to mean those sights which are either incapable of any adjustment by the person shooting in the field or capable of such adjustment only by means of a tool such as an allen key or screwdriver.