§ Mr. Illsleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to a requirement that all firearms licence holders hold membership of an approved shooting club throughout the full duration of their licence.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggApplicants who apply for firearm certificates for target shooting are already required to establish membership of a rifle or pistol club and this is normally checked on renewal every three years. We are not persuaded that more frequent checks on club membership, which would be costly, would significantly improve the present control.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in making his proposals for a reform of firearms law, he will include proposals to (a) subject shotguns to the same control as firearms and (b) ban the sale by mail order of all firearms; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggMy right hon. Friend has already announced his intention to bring self loading and pump action shotguns under the same controls as rifles and handguns. We also intend to impose a statutory obligation on shotgun certificate holders to store their weapons securely when they are not being used. As he announced in the debate on firearms in the House on 26 October, columns 28 to 69, we are considering suggestions in respect of a number of related issues and hope to announce comprehensive proposals by the end of November.
§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in his proposed legislation on firearms he will take power to ban gun shops from displaying for sale hoods and masks.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggNo.