Michael Ryan (Hansard, 31 March 1988)

§ Mr. William Ross
To 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 as to what procedure was used by the late Michael Ryan to deliver his original firearms form 1 application to Thames Valley police;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the date and procedure used by the late Michael Ryan to deliver firearms form 1 applications for variation to Thames Valley police.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 25 February 1988]: I understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that this information is not available.

§ Mr. William Ross
To 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 as to the date and procedure used to deliver the original firearms certificate to the late Michael Ryan and the registration identification number;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police as to the date and procedure used to deliver the varied firearms certificates to the late Michael Ryan, and the registration identification number.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 25 February 1988]: I understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that records relating to the delivery of firearm certificates are destroyed after six months. The information requested is therefore not available. However, the normal practice is to send firearm certificates by recorded delivery through the post.

§ Mr. William Ross
To 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 as to which of the chief constable, deputy chief constable or assistant chief constable personally authorised the original grant of the firearms certificate to the late Michael Ryan, or the rank to which they delegated that responsibility;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the date on which either the chief constable, deputy chief constable or assistant chief constable personally authorised the variations to the firearms certificate of the late Michael Ryan or the rank to which that responsibility was delegated.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 25 February 1988]: I understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that Michael Ryan's application for a firearm certificate was authorised at assistant chief constable level and that his variation applications were also authorised at that level on 30 April 1987 and 30 July 1987.

§ Mr. William Ross
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the688W chief constable of the Thames Valley police as to the ranks of police officers or civilians receiving the late Michael Ryan's application for the original grant of a firearms certificate at police headquarters;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police as to the date on which the original firearms form 1 application was received and recorded at local station level and by what rank of police officer or civilian acting for the police in the case of the application of the late Michael Ryan;
(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police force as to the date and the rank of police officers or civilians recording receipt of the grant fee of £25, the receipt number and date in respect of firearms certificates issued to the late Michael Ryan by Thames Valley police.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 25 February 1988]: I understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that Michael Ryan's application for the grant of firearms certificate was received at Hungerford police station on 26 November 1986 by a police constable who issued a receipt (number 472484) for the fee paid. The application was received at police headquarters by the assistant chief constable on 10 December 1986.

§ Mr. William Ross
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the contents of the statement made by the ex-manager of the Dunmore shooting centre, Abingdon, to the police, into the status of the late Michael Ryan's membership on 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 December 1986; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 25 February 1988]: No. It is not the practice to disclose the contents of statements obtained during police inquiries into criminal offences.

§ Mr. William Ross
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the police have located or seized a 7.65mm/0.32 Scorpion machine pistol alleged to have been held at any time by the late Michael Ryan on a firearms certificate.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 25 February 1988]: I understand from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police that they have no knowledge of the weapon in question.