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Dangerous Weapons

Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were for possession of dangerous weapons in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001. [43416]

Beverley Hughes: The available information for 1999 and 2000 is contained in the table and relates to convictions for offences of possession of offensive weapons, knives, firearms or explosives.

Information on court proceedings for 2001 will be available in the autumn.

Persons convicted⁽⁹⁹⁾ at all courts of offences of possession of dangerous weapons, England and Wales 1999 and 2000

		Persons convicted
Offence description	Statute	1999	2000(100)
(See footnote (3) for definition of Firearm Groups)
Possession etc. of explosives with intent to endanger life	Explosives Substances Act 1883, section 3 (in part)	—	—
Possession of firearms etc., with intent to endanger life (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968. Section 16 as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972, section 28(2)	87	60
Possession of firearms etc. with intent to endanger life (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968, section 16 as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 section 28(2)	2	1
Possession of firearms etc. with intent to endanger life (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968, section 16 as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 section 28(2)	11	3
Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse	Prevention of Crime Act 1953, section 1	4,123	4,064
Possessing firearms or imitation firearm at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968, section 17(2) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972, section 28(3)	36	49
Possessing firearm or imitation firearm at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968, section 17(2) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972, section 28(3)	2	1
Possessing firearm or imitation firearm at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968, section 17(2) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972, section 28(3)	3	3
Possessing firearms or imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence or resist arrest etc. (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968, section 18(1) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972, section 28(3)	55	65
Possessing firearm or imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, or resist arrest etc. (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968, section 18(1) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972, section 28(3)	—	—
Possessing firearm or imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, or resist arrest etc. (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968, section 18(1) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972, section 28(3)	2	4
Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm, with intent to cause fear of violence (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968, section 16A. (As amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994)	218	279
Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm, with intent to cause fear of violence (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968, section 16A. (As amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994)	12	1
Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm, with intent to cause fear of violence (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968, section 16A. (As amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994)	35	20
Having an article with a blade or point in a public place	Criminal Justice Act 1988 section 139	3,832	3,487
Having an article with a blade or point on school premises	Criminal Justice Act 1988 section 139 A(1) as added by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 section 4(1)	16	44
Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises	Criminal Justice Act 1988 section 139(2) as added by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 section 4(1)	20	11
Possessing etc. firearms or ammunition without firearm certificate (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968 section 1(1)(Group I) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157, schedule 8 part III	264	216
Possessing etc. shotgun without certificate (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968 section 2(1)(Group II) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	107	94
Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968 section 5(1) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	812	721
Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968 section 19 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	63	49
Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968 section 19 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	21	17
Trespassing with firearm or imitation firearm in a building (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968 section 20(1) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	3	1
Trespassing with firearm or imitation firearm in a building (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968 section 20(1) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	—	—
Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968 section 21(4) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	79	66
Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968 section 21(4) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	12	15
Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968 section 21(4) as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, section 157 schedule 8 part III	47	36
Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968 section 19	176	170
Trespassing with firearm in a building (Group III	Firearms Act 1968 section 20(1)	—	3
Trespassing with firearm on land, (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968 section 20(2)	13	12
Trespassing with firearm on land, (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968 section 20(2)	3	—
Trespassing with firearm on land, (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968 section 20(2)	23	18
Person under 14 having firearm in his possession, without lawful authority, (Group I)	Firearms Act 1968 section 22(2)	1	—
Person under 15 having with him a shot gun without adult supervision, (Group II)	Firearms Act 1968 section 22(3)	—	—
Person under 14 having with him an air weapon or ammunition therefor (Group III)	Firearms Act 1968 section 22(4)	12	16
Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place	Firearms Act 1968 section 22(5)	54	52
Total all offences		9,844	9,578

⁽⁹⁹⁾ Figures provided are on the principal offence basis.

⁽¹⁰⁰⁾ Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data these data are not robust at a detailed level and have been excluded from this table.

⁽¹⁰¹⁾ For the purposes of recording offences, firearms are divided into the following three groups:

Group I—All firearms etc. other than those described in Group II and III.

Group II-Shot guns as defined in section 1(3)(1) of the Act.

Group III—Air weapons as defined in section 1(3)(b) of the Act.

10 Apr 2002 : Column 357W

Territorial Forces

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of staff in his Department are members of the territorial forces; and if he has a strategy to encourage members of staff to become members of the territorial forces. [44075]

Angela Eagle: The information requested is not held centrally.

Staff in the Home Office (including the Prison Service) who are members of, or who intend to join, the reserve forces are granted up to eight days special leave for the purpose.

The Home Office is the lead Government Department for the active community initiative. Staff can take paid leave for volunteering in certain public capacities (e.g. school governors up to six days, magistrates up to 18 days). Staff can also take up to five days paid leave a year for any other voluntary activity.

A Volunteering Manager has recently been appointed, seconded from the voluntary sector, actively to promote volunteering among Home Office staff, ensure that a wide range of opportunities is available, monitor participation and evaluate the benefits to the individual and the Department.

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