§ Mr. Hancockasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were recorded for each year since 1979 involving (a) any firearm, (b) crossbows and (c) air rifles.
§ Mr. MellorThe available information relates to notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used and is published annually in chapter 3 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 3.2 of the issue for 1984, Cmnd 9621. In 1984 there were 8,376 such offences and in 5,540 cases art air weapon was reported to have been involved. Information is not collected separately on air rifles which are included amongst all air-weapons. Information on the use of crossbows in crime is not recorded centrally.