HC Deb 07 May 1987 vol 115 c512W
33. Mr. McWilliam

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase since 1978 in the total number of crimes in England and Wales in which a firearm was used.

Mr. Mellor

Statistics of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms of all types, including air weapons, were reported to have been used are published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (tables 3.1 and 3.2 of the latest edition, for 1985 Cm. 10). In 1985, 9,742 such offences were recorded, compared to 5,672 in 1978.