HC Deb 24 July 1990 vol 177 cc161-2W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many requests for(a) renewals and (b) variations of firearms certificates have been refused in each of the Royal Ulster Constabulary divisions in Belfast in each of the last three years for which figures are available;

(2) how many applications for a firearms certificate for (a) shotguns, (b) rifles, (c) handguns and (d) other firearms have been refused in each Royal Ulster Constabulary division in Belfast in each of the last three years for which figures are available, or as much of such information as is available to him;

(3) if he will publish a table to show by reference to Royal Ulster Constabulary division how many firearms certificates have been withdrawn in each of the last three years; and if he will specify, by type and number of firearms, the firearms to which such certificates related and indicate how many of the certificates were withdrawn because the holder had been convicted of (a) terrorist activity and (b) other illegal actions for which he was sentenced in a court of law, or as much of such information as is available to him.

Mr. Cope

The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has informed me that the information is not held in a manner which makes the statistics asked for readily available and they could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) shotguns, (b) (c) handguns and (d) other firearms have been stolen from the legal owners in each Royal Ulster Constabulary division in Belfast in each of the last three years for which figures are available, or as much of such information as is available to him.

Mr. Cope

The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has informed me that the information is not recorded in the format sought. The following information is available however for the past two years:

Bullet firing weapons Shotguns Other weapons (including air weapons)
A Division
1988 1 2 1
1989 6 2 0
B Division
1988 2 2 1
1989 4 0 0
D Division
1988 8 16 2
1989 2 2 1
E Division
1988 2 4 0
1989 4 3 1