§ Mr. GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ban the sale of key guns that unlock doors and cars and are being used for criminal purposes.
§ Mr. John PattenThere is no existing legislation prohibiting the sale of key guns, but it is an offence to carry such an article for use in the course of or in connection with theft. There are legitimate uses of key guns, eg. by locksmiths, and any proposals for controls on sales would need to take this into account. We are consulting the Association of Chief Police Officers about the effectiveness and availability of key guns and other similar devices, and have asked what problems they have caused police forces.