§ Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what research into the origins of firearms and shotguns used in the pursuit of crime his Department has commissioned or undertaken;
(2) what research his Department has commissioned or undertaken to identify how many legally held and licensed shotguns have been used in the pursuit of crime.
§ Mr. Charles WardleResearch which was commissioned by the Home Office into the use of firearms in offences of robbery has been conducted by the Oxford centre for criminological research. One of the aims of the research was to establish how the guns used in robbery were obtained. The report of the research has recently been completed.
In addition, a study has been conducted by the Home Office research and planning unit into the theft of firearms from an analysis of police crime reports.
It is expected that both reports will be published shortly.
§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to permit firearms certificates to be issued to members of the public on condition that such arms will be used only on private land specified on the certificate and where land is located away from public highways and public rights of way.
§ Mr. Charles WardleNo. Chief officers of police already have extensive powers to refuse the issue of firearms certificates to anyone without a good reason to6W possess one, or to anyone who could not possess one without danger to public safety or the peace. In addition, chief officers may impose territorial conditions on firearm certificates, restricting the area where the firearm may be used.