§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the number of (i) small businesses which will close and (ii) jobs which will be lost as a result of the implementation of the Firearms (Amendment) Bill; [11219]
(2) what is the size of the budget which the Government are proposing to compensate (a) businesses and (b) individuals who will have to surrender firearms as a result of the implementation of the Firearms (Amendment) Bill. [11220]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answers 16 January 1997]: Our estimate of the costs that will need to be paid to compensate all those who surrender guns and accessories is as set out in the financial memorandum to the Firearms (Amendment) Bill.
It has not been possible to estimate the full impact of the measures that would be introduced by the Bill on businesses and employment.