asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of serious offences involving the use of firearms in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and by what percentage this total is greater or less than the comparable figures five years previously.

The number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms of all types, including air weapons, were reported to have been used was 8,067 in 1981, 74 per cent. more than in 1976.