|
|
<p>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.</p><p>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:</p><p>• 516 pistols;</p><p>• 473 revolvers;</p><p>• 1,226 shotguns;</p><p>• 243 rifles;</p><p>• 873 air weapons</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p> |