asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the names and qualifications of the members of the working group which has been set up to establish the central database for the establishment of a central register of firearms holders required by Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997; when the working group was established; and what are the dates on which it has met. [HL3046]
I understand from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) that a working group to consider the possibility of setting up a national firearms register was first established on 28 August 1996, and was attended by the following members:
Mr. M. Curtis | Police Information Technology Organisation (Local Police Systems Directorate) |
Mr. J. Phillips | Chief Constable, Kent County Constabulary |
Mr. A. Burden | Chief Constable, Gwent Constabulary |
Mr. J. Twigg | Police National Computer Directorate |
Mr. M. Reed | Police Information Technology Organisation (Local Police Systems Directorate) |
ad hoc basis since. Their aim is to finalise a detailed user requirement for submission to the ACPO Police National Computer (PNC) Steering Committee and the Police Information Technology Organisation. The members of this group are:
Mr. D. Winser | Assistant Chief Constable, Cambridgeshire Constabulary |
Mr. I. McColl | Firearms Licensing Officer |
Mr. J. Brear | Firearms Enquiries Officer |
Sgt. C. Locke | Metropolitan Police Firearms Enquiry Officer |
Supt. I. Brown | ACPO PNC Steering Group |
Ch. Insp. J. Thompson | PNC Directorate |
This group is scheduled to meet in September when all the current information has been marshalled.
asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Williams of Mostyn on 22 July (
WA 118), whether it is a statutory requirement of Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 to establish a central register of firearm holders or whether the creation of such a register is dependent on the Association of Chief Police Officers' assessment of its operational priority. [HL3125]
The establishment of a central register of all persons who have applied for a firearm or shotgun certificate, or to whom a firearm or shotgun certificate has been granted, or whose certificate has been renewed, is a statutory requirement of Section 39(1) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. Sub-section (2)(b) further requires the register to be kept by means of a computer which provides access on-line to all police forces. The legislation does not specify when the requirement must be met.