My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Crime Reduction (Alan Campbell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I have today 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 are looking for a proportionate but effective response to the problem. 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.