To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Department has to hold a national firearms amnesty; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which such measures are effective in reducing the level of firearms offences. (119789)

We are discussing with the Association of Chief Police Officers whether a national firearms amnesty should be held later this year. The last national amnesty in 2003 resulted in the surrender of 44,000 firearms and over a million rounds of ammunition. Taking such potentially lethal items off the streets contributes to community safety but an amnesty is just one aspect of the wider overall strategy. This includes enhancing already tough legislation through the Violent Crime Reduction Act, supporting community activity through the Connected Fund and other project funding, and working with the Association of Chief Police Officers Criminal Use of Firearms Group on a range of issues focusing on prevention, intelligence and enforcement.