§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress has been made in establishing, as part of the Police/Home Office Extended Names Index (PHOENIX), a central register of persons who have applied for a firearm or shotgun certificate or to whom a firearm or shotgun certificate has been granted, which obligation, under Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, came into force on 1 October 1997; and whether they are now in a position to indicate a date by which they will have complied with the law in this matter. [HL3857]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)I understand that the user requirement has been accepted by the Association of Chief Police Officers Police National Computer Steering Committee and that this will be further considered and subject to a full technical impact assessment at their next meeting in September. The firearms application has been included in the Police Information Technology Organisation's work plan for 1999/2000 although it is not possible at this stage to say precisely when it will be implemented.