§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the change in the number of firearm offences since March 2001. [146267]
§ Caroline FlintHome Office figures indicate that, in 2001–02, firearms offences (excluding those involving air weapons) increased by 35 per cent. from the previous year. Provisional figures released on 16 October 2003 449W show a total number of firearms offences in England and Wales in 2002–03 (excluding air weapons) was around 10,250 or around 3 per cent. higher than in 2001–02.
The overall level of firearms offences as a proportion of all recorded crime remains steady, at less than half of one 1 per cent.
In 2001–02, there were 95 recorded incidents in which injury following a firearms offence proved fatal. Provisional figures show that this figure fell by 16 per cent. in 2002–03. Final figures for 2002–03 will be published soon.
This remains an appalling loss of life on our streets and in our communities and we are continuing a programme of action covering community engagement, enforcement, legislation and tackling the links to drug supply and crime to deal with it.