To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims have been made against her Department for being dilatory in paying compensation under the compensation schemes under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 to a person who has surrendered firearms and ammunition to police following the introduction of the prohibition on the possession, manufacture and sale of weapons under the Act. (258937)

One ex gratia payment was made in respect of a particularly complex claim where certain payments could have been made earlier.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) weapons and (b) items of ancillary equipment handed into police forces following the entering into force of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 remain in the possession of police forces. (258938)

The Home Office has issued disposal notices in respect of all but 92 of the 72,000 claims received. It is for individual chief officers to keep records of such items still in their possession.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many owners of weapons and items of ancillary equipment handed into police forces following the entering into force of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 have not received payment under the compensation schemes introduced under the Act. (258939)

Payments have been offered to all claimants in accordance with the terms of the schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests to police forces have been (a) made and (b) granted for the return of items deemed to be ineligible for compensation under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 compensation schemes. (258940)

The information requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the residual liability to the public purse for payments under the compensation schemes introduced under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. (258941)

It is not possible to estimate any residual liability since some claimants may wish to resurrect issues of concern. However, we believe that claimants have all been paid in accordance with the schemes.