The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Alan Campbell):
I have published a consultation paper, “Controls on Deactivated Firearms”, which seeks views on how to reduce the use of deactivated firearms in crime.
The Government do not want to interfere with the legitimate collection of deactivated firearms and is looking for a proportionate but effective response to the problem. 2 Mar 2009 : Column 40WS
The consultation paper sets out a range of possible options for reducing the availability of deactivated firearms to criminals.
Copies of the consultation paper are available in the House Library and on the Home Office website at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk. We should be glad to receive views by 25 May.
Police Use of Firearms
The Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing (Mr. Vernon Coaker):
The latest figures from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 show that the number of police operations in which firearms were authorised was 21,181—an increase of 17.5 per cent. on the previous year.
The number of Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO’s) was 6,780—an increase of 52 (1 per cent.) officers overall on the previous year. The number of operations involving armed response vehicles was 16,712—an increase of 2,197 (15 per cent.) on the previous year.
The police discharged a conventional firearm in seven incidents (up from 3 incidents in the previous year).
Full details are set out in the tables below:
Number of Operations in whichFirearms were Authorised
