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Written question asked by David Davis (Conservative) on Monday, 6 December 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 December 2004. It was answered by Baroness Primarolo (Labour) on Monday, 20 December 2004 on behalf of the Treasury.

Treasury

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many weapons have been seized at ports of entry to the United Kingdom in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) type of weapon and (b) location of seizure. - Including table and figures and fact that a breakdown by location is not available.
Answer

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many weapons have been seized at ports of entry to the United Kingdom in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) type of weapon and (b) location of seizure. [203530] Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply. The table shows the number of weapons seized by HM Customs and Excise each year since 1996-97. The figures include all weapons within the definition of a firearm in the Firearms Act 1968 but exclude parts of firearms. Offensive weapons include knives, knuckledusters, swordsticks, and certain martial arts weapons. Customs have central records of offensive weapons seizures only for 2001-02 and 2003-04. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Financial Year Rifles and handguns Shotguns Self defence sprays Stun guns Offensive Weapons 1996-97 532 32 3,452 120 Not available 1997-98 507 362 4,248 344 Not available 1998-99 189 51 2,343 106 Not available 1999-00 512 129 1,169 101 Not available 2000-01 211 44 2,428 114 Not available 2001-02 415 219 1,237 144 2,045 2002-03 228 36 866 255 Not available 2003-04 285 8 609 672 2,999 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. A breakdown by location is not available. However, Customs' own analysis of the calendar years 2002 and 2003 has identified the following ports of entry where complete firearms (other than shotguns and parts) were seized: Aberdeen Airport Avonmouth Belfast International Airport Birmingham Airport Bristol Airport Brize Norton Coventry International Hub Coquelles Dover Edinburgh Airport East Midlands Airport Falmouth Felixstowe Glasgow Airport Harwich Hull Immingham Kings Lynn Gatwick Airport Heathrow Airport Liverpool Docks Lyneham Medway Manchester Letter Office of Exchange Mount Pleasant Newcastle Airport Plymouth Poole Portsmouth RAF Leeming Ramsgate Southampton Stansted Airport Tilbury

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
203530; 428 c1508-10W;428 c1506-8W
Session
2004-05
Subjects
Ports Security Weapons
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk