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Treasury

Answer

Mr. Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 2003, Official Report, column. 800W, with regard to Customs, whether the prohibited firearm was (a) produced to Customs from (i) the person and (ii) baggage, (b) loaded with ammunition and (c) ready to fire; for how long Customs exercised their control over the firearm; and by what means it left the United Kingdom. [140446] John Healey: The records still available show that the importation referred to in my earlier answer was correctly declared in accordance with established regulations and procedures, and that there were no irregularities. Some of Customs' records relating to regulatory controls on importations of firearms at Farnborough in 1999 have been destroyed under Customs' obligations in relation to the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Public Records Acts, as they relate to legitimate movements and are no longer required for administrative purposes. Following further investigation of the remaining records, I have now been informed that the single importation referred to in my previous answer related to four firearms and a quantity of ammunition, rather than a single firearm, and I regret that inadvertently this was not made clear to the hon. Gentleman. These firearms were surrendered by one or more passengers on a flight which arrived at Farnborough in March 1999. The additional information requested is no longer available, and Customs cannot say with certainty how the items were taken into control, how long the firearms were in Customs' control or how and when they were re- exported from the United Kingdom.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

140446; 413 c1330W;413 c1326W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Ammunition Customs and Excise Firearms Import controls Imports Farnborough Airport

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk