Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 6 December 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 13 December 2000. It was answered by Charles Clarke (Labour) on Wednesday, 13 December 2000 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offences involving (a) firearms and (b) knives there were in Sussex in each year since 1979. - Includes table and ref to number of offences involving knives is not collected centrally.

Answer: Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving (a) firearms and (b) knives there were in Sussex in each year since 1979. [142110] Mr. Charles Clarke: The number of offences involving knives is not collected centrally. The number of firearms offences in Sussex for the years requested is given as follows, and is the total for all firearms, including air weapons. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year Number 1979 74 1980 63 1981 91 1982 63 1983 42 1984 65 1985 74 1986 74 1987 92 1988 103 1989 165 1990 193 1991 184 1992 198 1993 208 1994 195 1995 189 1996 177 1997 218 1998-99{1} 315 1999-2000{1} 377 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Year ending March. There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which increased the overall number of offences recorded, of which firearms offences are a subset

Secondary information