§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force to indicate, from his inspection of the membership records and applications for membership of the Dunmore shooting centre, Abingdon, how many of the memberships issued which commenced at number 50 to number 92 had been granted to those applicants resident in the Thames Valley police force area; and how many applications resulted in full membership being granted prior to or on 8 December 1986.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that the information is not available.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force naming the source of advice and individuals that gave expert testimony to the chief constable that the ammunition used by the late Michael Ryan was classified as armour piercing;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force naming the source of advice and individuals that gave expert testimony to the chief constable that the rifle possessed and used by the late Michael Ryan was a Kalashnikov.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable that he received some technical advice from within the Thames Valley and from the forensic science service.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to what good reason and on what date the late Michael Ryan gave for the purchase of his first two rifles(a) an assault 7.62 444W mm calibre and (b) an assault 0.30 in calibre and appropriate ammunition, for his introduction to rifle shooting; and on what ranges.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI refer the hon. Member to the reply to his question on 31 March 1988, at column692. There is no requirement in the Firearms Act 1968 for the purchaser of a firearm authorised to be held by the police to notify them of its acquisition.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to what special circumstances were taken into consideration when agreeing to accept provisional membership of three months with the Dunmore shooting centre, Abingdon, as suitable for the issue to its members of firearms certificates by Thames Valley police.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that it is not the practice to issue firearms certificates to applicants holding probationary membership.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to how many firearms clubs were sent letters from the chief constable signed by Inspector Lambert for or on behalf of the chief constable prior to 19 August 1987 requiring provisional membership of a firearms club for the purpose of obtaining a firearms certificate issued by the Thames Valley police force to be a minimum period of six months.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe chief constable of Thames Valley is not aware of any such letters.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to what firearms the late Michael Ryan requested authority to possess on his original firearms form I application for the grant of a firearms certificate from the chief constable;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to what firearms were subsequently granted by the chief constable to the late Michael Ryan as a result of his original firearms form 1 application for the grant of a firearms certificate.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that Michael Ryan originally applied for and was granted authority to possess one 9mm pistol and one .38 revolver.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force listing for each calibre of firearm the maximum quantity of ammunition for which the late Michael Ryan requested authority to possess on his applications for variations of his firearms certificate;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force listing for each calibre of firearm the maximum quantity of ammunition at any one time for which the chief constable granted authority for the late Michael Ryan to possess as a result of his original firearms form 1 application for the grant of a firearms certificate;
(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force listing for each calibre 445W of firearm the maximum quantity of ammunition at any one time the late Michael Ryan requested authority from the chief constable to possess on his original firearms form 1 application for the grant of a firearms certificate;
(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force listing for each calibre of firearm the maximum quantity of ammunition at any one time the chief constable granted authority for the late Michael Ryan to possess as a result of his firearms form 1 application for the variation of his firearms certificate.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that Michael Ryan applied for and was granted authority to possess a maximum at any one time of 500 rounds of 9mm, .38, .22, .32, 7.62mm and .30 calibre each.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the dates and ranks of police officers carrying out the checks with the local intelligence officers with respect to the applications by the late Michael Ryan for the grant and variations of his firearms certificate;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as the dates and ranks of police officers who acted as local intelligence officers in respect to the applications for the grant and variations of the firearms certificate issued to the late Michael Ryan.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that detailed records of the checks made are not available.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley to establish at what time the late Michael Ryan is alleged to have put on his bulletproof vest on 19 August 1987.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that witnesses' recollections put the time at which Michael Ryan put on his bullet-proof vest as between 12.45 and 12.55pm
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to on what dates police officers, and of what ranks, acting as crime prevention officers, visited the house of the late Michael Ryan for the purpose of inquiries regarding the applications he made in relation to his firearms certificate.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI refer the hon. Member to the reply to his question on 31 March 1988, at columns689–90.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley as to the possessions recovered from the car of the late Michael Ryan, and to where, and by what ranks of officers they were conveyed, giving times.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe chief constable of Thames Valley tells me that a police constable and scenes of crime officer recovered from Ryan's car the following items :
- (a) A number of spent fragmented bullets
- (b) 7 live rounds of ammunition
- (c) Empty pistol magazine
- (d) Rifle magazine for a .30 rifle containing 29 rounds
- (e) Leather shoulder holste
- (f) Shooting magazine (periodical)
- (g) Petrol receipts
- (h) Instruction leaflet for a shotgun
446 - (i) Street map of Newbury
- (j) Body armour waistcoat
- (k) Gas mask
- (m) Water bottle
- (n) Survival kit
- (o) Waterproof jacket
- (p) Camouflage trousers
- (q) Waxed cotton over-trousers
- (r) Waterproof poncho
- (s) Green haversack
- (t) Beige-coloured haversack
- (u) Ear defenders
Items (a) to (e) were taken to the forensic science laboratory for examination. The further information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley as to the ranks of officers who attended to the body of the late Michael Ryan; if he will list the possessions recovered from the body; and to where, and by whom, the body and possessions were conveyed from the school at Hungerford, giving times.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that a detective superintendent, detective inspector and sergeant attended Michael Ryan's body at the John O'Gaunt school. At the school they recovered :
- (a) Two 9mm spent cartridge cases.
- (b) One pair of handcuffs.
- (c) One weapon cleaning kit.
- (d) One 9mm misshapen bullet from classroom noticeboard.
- (e) One 9mm spent cartridge case under body.
- (f) One 9mm Beretta pistol and magazine containing 5 live rounds.
- (g) One 9mm live round.
These items were taken by the sergeant to the forensic science laboratory and following examination were retained in police custody.
At the post mortem the following items were taken from the body and retained in police custody :
- (a) Flak jacket.
- (b) Pair of boots.
- (c) Pair of socks.
- (d) Pair of trousers.
- (e) Pair of underpants.
- (f) Shirt.
- (g) Vest.
- (h) Handkerchief.
- (i) Knotted cord.
- (j) Shoe lace.
- (k) Library ticket.
- (l) 2 x 2p bronze coins.
The additional information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of all questionnaires developed by his Department to assist police officers in their inquiries when visiting applicants for the grant, variation and renewal of firearms certificates and all such amended variations of such questionnaires since 1968 to include drafts and any final copies of those forms recommended by his recent working parties.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggNo forms have been devised by the Department to assist in firearm certificate applications save for those prescribed in the Firearms Rules 1969.
447W
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of the reports prepared by the chief constable of Thames Valley police force for his Department, which were sought as a result of the parliamentary question asked by the hon. Member for Londonderry, East about the murders committed by the late Michael Ryan.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggNo.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has anything to add to his answer of 31 March to the hon. Member for Londonderry, EastOfficial Report, columns 693–4, concerning the sale and transfer by the late Michael Ryan of all firearms possessed by him; if he will make a statement as to what further information is held by the chief constable of Thames Valley police; and if he will also provide information on the date of purchase, sale or transfer of all shotguns in the possession of the late Michael Ryan, giving the make, model and quantity of ammunition in each case and the names of all firearms dealers involved.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI have nothing to add to my reply of 31 March concerning the firearms possessed by Michael Ryan. He was granted a shotgun certificate in 1978. The Firearms Act 1968 does not contain a requirement to notify the sale or transfer of a shotgun or shotgun cartridges.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to whether on 19 August 1987 a police constable offered to a police officer the use of his personal and privately owned handgun stored in Hungerford for the purpose of containing the late Michael Ryan.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe chief constable of Thames Valley tells me that he knows of nothing to substantiate this statement.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to whether the late Michael Ryan practised police pistol and other styles of target shooting with officers of the Thames Valley police.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe chief constable of Thames Valley has no such information.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to what route Michael Ryan was taking from Hungerford on 19 August 1987 when he killed his first victim; and how far the site of this murder was from the direct route between Ryan's home and the Wiltshire shooting centre.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley that inquiries have not established Michael Ryan's route from Hungerford to the Savernake forest, the location of the first killing. However, the forest borders the A4 road which would have been the most direct route between his home and the Wiltshire shooting centre.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to how448W many Thames Valley police officers, shot at, or were members of the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury, when managed by proprietor George Sturm;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to how many Thames Valley police officers, shot at, or were members of the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury, when managed by proprietor George Sturm, on the date the late Michael Ryan applied for membership;
(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the date on which the late Michael Ryan was granted full membership of the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury, when managed by proprietor George Sturm, stating by whom, after what assessment, and by what procedure;
(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the date the late Michael Ryan was granted provisional membership of the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury. when managed by proprietor George Sturm, stating by whom, after what assessment, and by what procedure;
(5) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the date the late Michael Ryan's application for membership was received by the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury, when managed by proprietor George Sturm, and by whom;
(6) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to what date the late Michael Ryan made written application for membership of the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury, when managed by proprietor George Sturm;
(7) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to how many entries were made by the late Michael Ryan in the register of users of the range facilities of the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury when managed by proprietor George Sturm;
(8) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to how many visits were made, and on what dates, the late Michael Ryan paid visits to the club run by the Berkshire Downs Firearms and Ballistics Company based in Membury when managed by proprietor George Sturm.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley that one of his officers was a member of the club in question. He has no knowledge of Michael Ryan having been a member.