Interesting, unfortunately there is no reference, perhaps someone in the UK can give one.
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10 years after Dunblane, gun register is 'not fit for purpose'
By Roya Nikkhah
(Filed: 11/06/2006)
The National Firearms Register promised by the Government in the aftermath of the Dunblane massacre has been condemned as "fundamentally flawed and notfit for purpose".
An internal police report describes the database, intended to carry
information on everybody who has applied for a gun licence, as unworkable.
The scathing criticism makes a mockery of the upbeat assessment of the register by Charles Clarke, the former home secretary sacked over the foreign criminals deportation fiasco.
Three months ago, after the Government failed to deliver the database in
time for the 10th anniversary of the Dunblane tragedy, he insisted that
"good progress was being made".
But a report by Lancashire Police reveals that the current system is so
riddled with problems that its officers had to abandon a pilot scheme for
the National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS) last year.
In a letter from Lancashire police to the Association of Chief Police
Officers' firearms working group, obtained by the British Association of
Shooting and Conservation, the system is described as having "persistent and immense problems" and "delays of a magnitude which could not be reasonably expected".
The seven-page letter, which details dozens of other "significant problems",says: "Lancashire Constabulary felt unable to complete the NFLMS pilot at this present time. It is fundamentally flawed and not fit for purpose."
David Davis, the shadow home secretary, criticised the Government for
failing to deliver the register.
"This is yet another Home Office fiasco," he said. "All we have had is
delays and excuses."
Charlie Clydesdale, whose five-year-old daughter, Victoria, was killed at
Dunblane, said: "The lack of progress after all these years is appalling. Wewere promised the register as a priority but nothing has happened and gun crime is still rising."
The establishment of a national firearms database was incorporated into the 1997 National Firearms (Amendment) Act, which introduced a handgun ban afterThomas Hamilton shot dead 16 children and a teacher at Dunblane Primary School in Perthshire before turning the gun on himself in March 1996.
The register, which has already cost £5 million, was proposed after it
emerged that Hamilton had been able to obtain a gun licence despite a policereport which described him as an "unsavoury character with an unhealthy interest in young boys".
The database, which would be linked to the Police National Computer, would keep track of everyone who has a gun licence and those who have been judged unfit to be granted one.
At present, records are only held locally by police and are not available in
other areas. The Home Office estimates that there are more than 300,000
illegal firearms in England and Wales.
Gill Marshall-Andrews, the chairman of the Gun Control Network, which
campaigns for tighter controls on guns, called the Government's failure to
introduce the database "incomprehensible".
"This is not rocket science," she said. "It should not be difficult to do
unless there is a lack of will from the Home Office."
A spokesman for the Home Office said: "It is disappointing when a pilot
reveals a problem as happened during testing phases of this project.
However, this is the purpose of a pilot. The Government remains fully
committed to this project."
13 March 2006: Children's families still waiting for firearms register
15 July 2001: Gun crimes soaring despite ban brought in following Dunblane
19 November 2000: Gun owners forced to join national register
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Similar to here and Canada.
Eoin.
Britain
Moderator: Aughnanure
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Aughnanure
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National register
A National register of firearms owners would have done nothing to prevent what happened at Dunblane. The local firearms officer reported that Hamilton was not a suitable person to be in possession of fireams and that his FAC should not be renewed. He was over-ruled by the Chief Constable and his FAC was renewed with tragic results. Why would the remote CC over-rule the man on the ground?
I don't see the point of a National Firearms regiister, but then I don't see the point in most of the firearms regulations as they relate to what the legal owner can have and do, not the prevention of the criminal use of firearms.
Regards
Peter.
I don't see the point of a National Firearms regiister, but then I don't see the point in most of the firearms regulations as they relate to what the legal owner can have and do, not the prevention of the criminal use of firearms.
Regards
Peter.
"I don't see the point of a National Firearms regiister"
The point, as I'm sure you really do know, Peter, is to facilitate confiscation of the firearms at a later date. The gun-grabbers never say this, of course. They always say "You don't mind registering your car; why would you mind registering your gun?"
Gun-grabbers know only too well that these laws don't do anything to prevent, or even slow, crime. They don't care. They simply hate guns, and are willing to use a tedious, incremental approach to get yours.
Tim
The point, as I'm sure you really do know, Peter, is to facilitate confiscation of the firearms at a later date. The gun-grabbers never say this, of course. They always say "You don't mind registering your car; why would you mind registering your gun?"
Gun-grabbers know only too well that these laws don't do anything to prevent, or even slow, crime. They don't care. They simply hate guns, and are willing to use a tedious, incremental approach to get yours.
Tim