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<p><del class="ministerial">The Government and police work nationally, and with international partners, to reduce the threat to the UK from the criminal use of firearms. In 2013/14, firearms were used in a small and diminishing proportion of total police recorded crime, 0.2%. The figure for 2009/10 was 0.3%. Following the firearms surrenders in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands in 2013 and 2014, the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) co-ordinated firearms surrenders in the majority of the Police Force areas in England and Wales during 2014 and 2015, resulting in the surrender of over 6000 items.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">As of 7th January 2016; 3,864 firearms and over 13,000 items of ammunition have been recovered following the November 2015 firearms surrender, with 934 weapons being recovered prior to the November surrender. Of those items recovered in the November surrender (discounting ammunition, CS Sprays and Stun Guns), items include:</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">• 516 pistols;</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">• 473 revolvers;</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">• 1,226 shotguns;</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">• 243 rifles;</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">• 873 air weapons</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">This brings the total volume of firearms surrendered in the last eighteen months to 4,798. If ammunition, CS Sprays and Stun Guns are included this comes to over 6000.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Following publication of the Law Commission’s report on firearms law published on 16 December we will be reviewing options to strengthen the current legislation to ensure it safeguards against abuse by criminals.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>The Government and police work nationally, and with international partners, to reduce the threat to the UK from the criminal use of firearms. In 2013/14, firearms were used in a small proportion of total police recorded crime, 0.2%. The figure for 2009/10 was 0.3% </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>Figures from the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) show that in 2013 and 2014, there were 757 weapons recovered in firearm surrenders undertaken in the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester and West Midlands Police Force areas. </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>Building on the success of these surrenders, NABIS co-ordinated firearms surrenders in the majority of the remaining Police Force areas in England and Wales during 2014 and 2015, resulting in the recovery of 5,468 weapons and over 17,000 items of ammunition. The items recovered included:</em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial"><em>588 pistols; </em></ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial"><em>479 revolvers; </em></ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial"><em>1,850 shotguns; </em></ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial"><em>416 rifles; </em></ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial"><em>1,269 air weapons; and,</em></ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial"><em>866 other items including gas guns, stun guns, CS sprays, BB guns and blank firers.</em></ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>The total number of weapons recovered from all forces in England and Wales as a result of these surrenders was 6,225. </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em>Following publication of the Law Commission’s report on firearms law published on 16 December 2015 we will be reviewing options to strengthen the current legislation to ensure it safeguards against abuse by criminals</em>.</ins></p> |