§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Caroline Flint)The Home Secretary has decided not to further extend the life of the Firearms Consultative Committee, which will cease to exist on 31 January. The Committee was originally set up for a period of five years from 1 February 1989 under section 22 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988. A total of four orders were subsequently made to allow for its continued existence as provided for by section 22(8).
Since it was established the Committee has made eleven reports and the Home Secretary is grateful for the close scrutiny it has given to a whole range of difficult and complex issues. The Government are anxious to maintain a forum for consultation but would wish to do so on a broader basis than allowed by the existing statutory framework. Urgent consideration will be given to setting up a new consultative structure, possibly on the basis of a two-tier structure to look at detailed technical matters and the operation of firearms controls in the round.