§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make compensation available to commercial establishments suffering loss of income as a result of new firearms legislation; and if he will make a statement. [7761]
§ Miss WiddecombeWe do not propose to make payments in relation to business losses. There is a clear distinction between compensation for property made unlawful as a result of Government legislation, where Government are obliged to compensate owners of that property, and compensation of business losses which result from Government legislation where there is no precedent for compensation being paid.
§ Miss NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what compensation Her Majesty's Government will pay for accessories for firearms newly banned by regulation; and if he will make a statement. [7803]
§ Miss WiddecombePayments will be made in respect of ancillary equipment which is designed or adapted for use in connection with the firearms which the Bill seeks to ban, and which has no practicable use in connection with any non-prohibited weapons. Payments will be made only where the claimant lawfully held, or was contracted to acquire, the equipment on 16 October.
Payments will be at market value immediately prior to 16 October. We shall be assessing how to set market value in discussion with the British Shooting Sports Council.
§ Miss NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make additional funding available to the police in 1997 to curb ownership of illegally held firearms; and if he will make a statement. [7783]
§ Miss WiddecombeAlthough my right hon. and learned Friend has made no specific provision for this purpose, the spending power of police authorities will increase by 3.7 per cent. or £247 million in 1997–98. Tackling illegally-held firearms remains a high priority of the Government and the police.