Select Committee on Home Affairs Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence


Annex A

Submission from Police Superintendents' Association, Cleveland Branch

  For ease of reference I will deal with each issue under the headings outlined in the press notice, as follows:

Air Weapons

    —  As long as an air weapon has a muzzle energy below a specified level, there is little control subject to age limits on who can buy a rifle or pistol and how many a person can have. This causes difficulties not only in terms of their possession by "inappropriate" people—usually juveniles—but also in terms of regulating their sale.

    —  Police regularly encounter problems with air weapons, and more recently ball-bearing guns, with "poundage" so small as deems them not to be firearms. Clarification of definitions would be helpful in these cases.

    —  In addressing some of these issues I believe that it has already been recommended to the Firearms Consultative Committee (FCC) that air weapons should be subject of a certificate which would permit police to assess suitability of applicants.

  As a matter of interest, of the 200+ air weapons and ball bearing guns seized by this force in the last 12 months the vast majority are held in connection with alleged misuse, with a number of inquiries being progressed relating to injuries caused to innocent parties.

Shotguns

  In respect of shotguns, the main issues appear to be:

    —  Police cannot place conditions upon a shotgun certificate in the same way as we can with firearm certificates.

    —  We cannot limit the number of shotguns that can be held, other than through an assessment of security. Effectively once a shotgun certificate has been granted, the holder can buy as many shotguns as they wish. We only become aware of this if and when they inform us of the acquisitions.

    —  The licensing procedure for shotguns is far too weak and should be in line with other firearms.

    —  The security requirements for the storage of ammunition are weak. Ammunition only has to be "kept secure", whereas firearm ammunition must be kept in a locked cabinet. Additionally cartridges can be purchased without the need for production of a certificate.

    —  Police can only revoke, within the five year life of a certificate, if the holder becomes a "danger to the public safety or to the peace". Powers should be brought in line with those relating to firearms, whereby full or partial revocation can be sought.

    —  If the "good reason" grounds cease during the life of a certificate, police can only refuse to renew. Usually this is only discovered at the time of renewal enquiries, which is unsatisfactory.

    —  Reduced control and licensing requirements for shotguns has led to an increase in numbers, and hence increased opportunities for criminal use. Legislation has not been amended for a number of years and is in urgent need of overhaul.

  In the past 12 months this force recovered 42 shotguns pending enquiries into crime and/or decisions concerning certificate revocation.

Firearms

    —  Small and large calibre handguns may have been taken out of circulation but the numbers of pistols/revolvers in circulation have not dropped in proportion. One reason is that many shooters purchased Black Powder (or muzzle loading) handguns to replace those surrendered.

    —  Many shooters have moved to rifles from handguns, following their imposed surrender.

    —  There may have been an opportunity to reduce the number of firearms in circulation had the Home Office not allowed a free "one-for-one" variation following handgun surrender.

    —  Police face an ongoing problem caused by the manufacture of the long-barrelled pistol (LBP) by Uberti since the 1997 Act. The dimensions mean this weapon does not fall within the description of a small or large calibre handgun, although it is a Section 1 firearm. This case is unlikely to be the only attempt to circumvent the legislation.

Related Matters

    —  New Home Office guidance to the Police is being prepared, but as yet we still await a draft.

    —  Lord Cullen recommended a PNC database for firearms. This is still two/three years away as we understand it.

    —  Revised legislation could do much to reduce the bad feeling still felt by many shooters towards police.

    —  Since this force stopped accepting postal renewals in 1996 a number of things have been discovered which has led to a reduction in the number of guns in circulation. The practice of postal renewals should cease altogether, but it will demand increased resources to cope.

    —  Black Powder licence requirements need tightening. It is felt that the present ability to keep up to 15kg in a house is not only excessive but also highly dangerous. Discussions are ongoing to reduce this amount to 2kg.

  I trust that this response will assist in informing the position of the association nationally.

Kevin Robson

Honorary Secretary

23 August 1999


 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2000
Prepared 13 April 2000