§ Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made to ensure that police stations at which firearms are surrendered in accordance with the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 comply with the health and safety requirements concerning the handling of explosive substances. [3594]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Police Service is fully aware of its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974. Police stations are not required to be licensed to store explosives, but forces have a general duty of care to ensure the health, safety and welfare of staff. The terms of the compensation scheme keep the need to store explosives for any length of time down to a minimum and forces have been offered guidance on the safe handling of surrendered firearms, ammunition and explosives. The Explosives Inspectorate Directorate and the Ministry of Defence will offer further guidance to police forces as necessary.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give authority under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 to competitors from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games 2002 to use pistols in their ownership which are lawfully held overseas so that they can participate in the games on equal terms with nationals from other countries. [3994]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Government appreciate the need for the planning of the games to take place well in advance and we intend to discuss the matter with all interested parties. It is too early to grant section 5 authority at this stage. However, all competitors from the United4W Kingdom, as elsewhere, will be eligible to be considered nearer the time.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) pursuant to his oral statement of 11 June,Official Report, column 1165, if he will publish the evidence which shows that nothing proposed in the Firearms (Amendment) Bill will put the holding of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 in jeopardy; [3990]
(2) pursuant to his statement of 11 June, Official Report, column 1165, if he will publish the evidence which shows that nothing proposed in the Firearms (Amendment) Bill will put in jeopardy the ability of the United Kingdom to host a future Olympic Games. [3989]
§ Mr. MichaelThe arrangements for holding the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 are set out in a contract between Manchester city council and the Commonwealth Games Federation. The contract can be invalidated only if the host nation is unable to hold the games due to natural disaster or if the games are not properly organised.
The hosting of the Olympic Games and the inclusion or otherwise of particular events is a matter for the Olympic Committee to decide in discussion with prospective host nations. The provisions of section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 can be used to allow shooting events to take place.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the correspondence which he has had with the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 in relation to pistol shooting competitions. [3992]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Home Office has not received any correspondence from the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in relation to pistol shooting competitions, but the issue was dealt with fully in the debate in the House on 11 June 1997.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a draft of the authority and the conditions attached thereto which he intends to grant under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 in respect of competitors in pistol shooting events at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002. [3988]
§ Mr. MichaelNo. Any authority to be issued to competitors for the pistol shooting events at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 will be a matter for the Secretary of State. Under section 5(4) of the 1968 Act, the Secretary of State can attach any conditions which he considers necessary to ensure that public safety or the peace is not endangered. It is a matter for the Secretary of State to decide the appropriate drafting and conditions of any such authority after consultation with the Games organisers and, in the case of Manchester, with the Greater Manchester police.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy to outlaw the possession and use of black powder pistols. [3991]
§ Mr. MichaelThe term "black powder pistol" is not used in the Firearms Acts, but is synonymous with a muzzle-loading gun as defined in the Firearms 5W (Amendment) Act 1997. The Government have no plans at present to prohibit the possession of such weapons. The Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, which is presently before Parliament, deals only with the prohibition of small-calibre pistols. However, we shall keep under close review all controls on firearms to ensure maximum public safety.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many authorisations Home Secretaries have given under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 during the last five years to foreign nationals to enable them to participate in pistol shooting competitions in the United Kingdom. [3993]
§ Mr. MichaelThere have been no applications. Until the implementation of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, pistols (other than fully automatic pistols) are not prohibited under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 and authority is not required. Foreign nationals can at present possess pistols on a visitor's firearm permit issued by the police force for the area which they were visiting.
Self-inflicted deaths in prison establishments: 1992–19971 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 11997 Totals for the prison estate 41 47 62 60 64 21 HMP Winchester 0 1 1 0 2 2 Dates of deaths at HMP Winchester 20 February 31 July 23 April 16 May 3 May 17 May 1 1997 total up to 21 May 1997.