§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they are taking to improve the intelligence available to HM Customs and Excise on weapons trafficking and importing. [HL1891]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Government's strategy to tackle gun crime in the United Kingdom includes the creation of a strategic tasking and coordination group involving HM Customs and Excise, the police and other enforcement agencies, under the overall chairmanship of the Association of Chief Police Officers. As part of this initiative the National Criminal Intelligence Service is providing Customs with enhanced and updated intelligence assessments.
Customs have also contributed to a United Nations panel of experts whose role is to formulate an international standard for the marking of firearms. This will assist UK enforcement authorities to trace the origin of firearms used in crime. Where such firearms have come from illicit sources, Customs will be able to use this information to improve their risk assessment and targeting activity.
103WACustoms continue to work closely with the UK's intelligence agencies on international illegal arms trafficking in readiness for the implementation on I May of new controls on trafficking and brokering under the Export Control Act 2002.