§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what restrictions exist on the sale of replica guns by mail order;
(2) if he will introduce measures to curb the sale of replica guns;
(3) what restrictions exist on the sale of replica guns through retail outlets.
§ Mr. Peter LloydUnder the Firearms Act 1982 the sale and possession of replica firearms which can be readily converted to fire live ammunition are subject to the same stringent controls as those imposed on real firearms under the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1988. Where such a replica is 479W sold, whether by mail order or through a retail outlet, the purchaser must produce a firearm certificate as proof of authorisation to acquire the weapon concerned. The possession of any imitation firearm, whether readily convertible or not, with intent to commit an offence or resist arrest is an offence for which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. We have no plans to control the sale of replica firearms that cannot be readily converted to fire live ammunition.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received criticising the easy availability of replica guns.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the question by my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) on 7 March at column269 since when he has written to the Home Office on this matter. No other such representations have recently been received.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there have been any recent changes in the level of offences involving the use of replica guns.
§ Mr. Peter LloydFigures for the last four years for which statistics are available are shown in the table:
Year Number of offences 1989 235 1988 185 1987 201 1986 195