§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is a central computer register of all shotgun certificates and firearm certificates in force and therefore whether it is possible for any police force to discover rapidly the registered owner (if any) of any weapon which may have come into police possession, and, if such a facility is not available, what steps the Government propose to take to make it available.
§ Baroness BlatchThere is no central computer register of shotgun and firearm certificates in force. Any police force wishing to discover the registered owner of a particular firearm can make use of the Lost and Stolen Firearms Index available on the Police National Computer, and can ask other forces to check their records. The Government remain to be convinced that the substantial resource implications of establishing a central computer register for all firearms is justified, since most firearms that are recovered from use in crime have had their identifying numbers removed and therefore cannot be traced.