HC Deb 19 November 1987 vol 122 cc608-9W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the circular letter he sent to all chief officers of police, dated 8 September and signed J. H. Chilcot; and if he will make a statement on his reasons for sending the instructions contained in the letter.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library. Its purpose was to ask each chief officer to review his criteria under the law as it stands in respect of applications to acquire, or to continue to possess full bore self-loading rifles and carbines; and to ensure that each application was carefully scrutinised so that the chief officer could be satisfied that a good reason, commensurate with the weapon, existed for its possession and that such possession did not constitute a danger to the public safety or to the peace, as required under the Firearms Act 1968.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been undertaken by his Department to identify the particular areas of concern in his proposals to amend the Firearms Act 1968; and when that research was conducted.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

In studying firearms controls we have drawn on experience of the operation of the existing legislation and considered the views of the police, shooting interests and a number of other bodies. We have also taken fully into account concerns expressed in Parliament and by members of the public.

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