HL Deb 10 March 1997 vol 579 cc14-5WA
Earl Attlee

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether records will be maintained of all expenditure authorised by Parliament under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and in particular whether it will be possible to identify expenditure, both for businesses and private individuals, under the headings of:

  1. (a) compensation for full bore pistols;
  2. (b) compensation for full bore pistols accessories;
  3. (c) compensation for full bore pistol ammunition;
  4. (d) compensation for expanding ammunition; and
  5. (e) ex gratia payments for small calibre pistols.

Baroness Blatch:

Records will be maintained of all payments made under the compensation and ex gratia payment schemes provided by this Act. It is intended that the records will differentiate between payments made to dealers and those made to individuals and will include the following categories: (a) large calibre pistols, (b) large calibre pistol ancillary equipment (which includes ammunition), and (c) small calibre pistols.

Earl Attlee

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether records will be maintained of bankruptcies and business receiverships caused by the implementation of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997.

Baroness Blatch

Records of all insolvencies, including bankruptcies and receiverships, are maintained at Companies House, by the courts, or by the Department of Trade and Industry, in accordance with the requirements of the relevant insolvency legislation; but the causes of the failures are not recorded. This is because a business can fail for a single reason or a variety of reasons.