HC Deb 23 June 1997 vol 296 cc364-6W
Mr. Willian Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by police force the number of persons shot with illegal weapons in each of the last three years and the current year, indicating(a) how many persons were (i) killed and (ii) injured, (b) the type of firearm used, (c) the calibre of firearms used, (d) the number of persons made answerable to the courts in respect of such crimes and (e) the number of occasions the police have sent an armed response team to an incident. [4052]

Mr. McLeish

The following tables detail the number of persons (i) killed and (ii) injured with illegal weapons in the years 1992–95 in Scotland. The figures relate only to cases in which both the accused and the weapon were identified; in other cases, it is not possible to say whether or not the weapon was legally certificated.

Since January 1994, Scottish police forces have despatched armed police officers to over 2,000 incidents where a firearm was reported or suspected. The number of these incidents where an illegal firearm was actually involved is not recorded. The remaining information is not collect centrally.

Number of persons killed by type of weapon, 1992 to 1995
Shotgun Rifle Pistol/revolver Total
1992
Grampian 2 2
Strathclyde 3 3
Total 5 5
1993
Dumfries and Galloway 1 1
Strathclyde 1 2 3
Total 1 3 4
1994
Northern 1 1
Lothian and Borders 1 1
Strathclyde 1 1 1 3
Total 1 2 2 5
1995
Tayside 1 1
Total 1 1

In addition, there were a number of fatalities in which the weapon was unidentified and therefore it could not be determined whether or not it was legally held or not. There were two such cases in 1994 and six in 1995.

Number of persons injured by type of weapon, 1992 to 1995
Shotgun Rifle Pistol revolver Total
1992
Central 2 2
Lothian and Borders 1 1
Strathclyde 9 2 11
Tayside 2 3 5
Total 14 3 2 19
1993
Central 1 1
Dumfries and Galloway 3 3
Strathclyde 10 2 12
Tayside 4 4
Total 15 5 20
1994
Central 2 2
Fife 3 3
Lothian and Borders 1 1
Strathclyde 4 1 5
Total 7 4 11

Number of persons injured by type of weapon, 1992 to 1995
Shotgun Rifle Pistol revolver Total
1995
Fife 2 2
Lothian and Borders 1 2 3
Strathclyde 4 4
Total 5 4 9

In addition, there were a number of injuries in which a weapon was fired but unidentified and it was not therefore possible to determine whether the weapon was legally held or not. There was one such case in 1993, 11 in 1994 and 15 in 1995.

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