HC Deb 28 November 1985 vol 87 cc642-3W
Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all registered air rifle clubs in Northern Ireland, detailing when they received their certificates of authorisation, the location of their aproved ranges or proposed ranges and the number of club members.

Mr. Scott

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1985]: There are seven authorised air rifle clubs with a total membership of 162. Certificates of authorisation are renewed every three years and all seven air rifle clubs received their original authorisations before 1970. For reasons of security, I do not wish to detail their names and the locations of their ranges.

Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all those registered air rifle clubs which submitted their rifles for safe keeping to the Royal Ulster Constabulary at any stage in the past 17 years, indicating (a) whether the rifles were submitted voluntarily, (b) when they were submitted, (c) when they were returned, (d) whether licence fees were paid in respect of the rifles while in Royal Ulster Constabulary keeping and (e) when those rifles not yet returned will be returned.

Mr. Scott

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1985]: One authorised air rifle club voluntarily gave its weapons to the Royal Ulster Constabulary for safe keeping on 9 September 1985. Licence fees have not been paid by that club as they are not required by virtue of article 33(2) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. The Royal Ulster Constabulary has also been holding, for safe keeing, air weapons which were voluntarily surrendered to it on 12 February 1974 by a club which is no longer authorised under the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. Licence fees have been paid for those weapons. In both cases it is not possible to say when the air weapons will be returned to their owners. For reasons of security, I do not wish to detail the names of the clubs.

Mr. Hume

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those air rifle clubs, or proposed clubs, which have had applications for certificates of authorisation refused at any stage in the past 16 years, indicating whether and when such refusals were ever revoked.

Mr. Scott

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1985]: During the past 16 years 23 air rifle clubs have applied for authorisation by the Secretay of State. All have been refused, and no refusals have been revoked. The years of their refusals are:

Year Number
1977 11
1978 1
1979 4
1980 4
1982 1
1983 1
1985 1

For reasons of security, I do not wish to list their names.