§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) handguns, (b) rifles, (c) shotguns and (d) air weapons which have been used in crime have been recovered in each of the last five years; and how many of each had been previously or were at the time legally owned. [143921]
§ Caroline Flint[holding answer 15 December 2003]: This information is not currently available in the form requested. The National Firearms Forensic Intelligence
Breakdown of claimants receiving their payment by means of benefit payment order book Benefit Position as at June 20021 Position as at March 20032 Position as at 1 November 20033 State Pension (SP), Widows Benefit (WB) and Bereavement Benefit 4,811,063 4,616,964 4,280,487 Incapacity Benefit (Incap) 843,142 803,494 717,126 Severe Disablement Allowance 83,959 79,359 72,414 Income Support (IS) 1,740,655 1,698,052 1,516,248 Disability Living Allowance 1,143,393 1,144,202 1,065,636 Carers Allowance 310,684 309,750 298,089 Attendance Allowance 179,426 180,791 170,552 Industrial Injury, Death and Disability Benefit 302,798 315,046 284,360 Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) 0 0 0 Minimum Income Guarantee (MiG)/Pension Credit (PC) 1,344,723 1,360,994 1,420,036 1 2002: Figures for State Pension (SP), Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA), Widow's Benefit (WB), and Bereavement Benefit (BB) are up to 3 June 2002; Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), Income Support (IS) and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) figures up to 15 June 2002, Industrial Injuries (II) up to 8 June 2002, Carers Allowance (CA) (previously Invalid Care Allowance), Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) figures up to 18 May 2002.
2 2003: Figures for State Pension (SP), Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA), Widow's Benefit (WB), and Bereavement Benefit (BB) are up to 22 March 2003; Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), Income Support (IS) and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) figures up to 21 March 2003, Industrial Injuries (II) up to 14 March 2003, Carers Allowance (CA) (previously Invalid Care Allowance), Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) figures up to 8 March 2003. 3 Latest available: Figures for State Pension (SP), Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA), Widow's Benefit (WB), and Bereavement Benefit (BB) are up to 25 October 2003; Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), Income Support (IS) and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) figures up to 31 October 2003, Industrial Injuries (II) up to 24 October 2003, Carers Allowance (CA) (previously Invalid Care Allowance) up to 30 June 2003, Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) figures up to 18 October 2003. Notes:
1. The above figures are payload not caseload figures therefore, a claimant may be counted more than once if they are on several benefits.
2. If a claimant is receiving one combined payment through the Income Support system for both PC and SP they will only be shown on MIG and not on SP.
3. Figures quoted are for GB only.
Source:
DWP Information Centre, Information and Analysis Directorate, 100 per cent. sample.
870WDatabase launched last month will provide a central database of seized weapons and help trace guns used in crimes and improve detection.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many gas cartridge air weapons have been handed in under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003; and how many applications have been made for firearm certificates by owners of such weapons under the provisions of the Act. [143922]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 15 December 2003]: None. The legislation is not yet in force. We are aiming to commence the relevant provisions on 20 January when it will become an offence to manufacture, sell, purchase, acquire or transfer any air weapon using a self-contained gas cartridge system. Existing owners will have a further period of three months in which to apply for a firearms certificate or to dispose of the weapon.