Letter: Yet another curb on firearms

Sir: I wonder why the Home Office wants to "look at what other firearms controls are needed to safeguard the public". The Home Office minister Alun Michael gives no indication that the current legislation and administrative practice is in any way deficient. In the absence of any evidence to indicate there is a problem, the setting up of a review will look less like a concern for public safety and more like an attack on legal gun ownership for ideological reasons.

The great raft of firearms law that is already on the statute books provides effective remedies against those who misuse any firearms, including air weapons. Rather than imposing further restrictions, the police and the courts must operate the criminal justice system in an efficient manner. Young people are already heavily controlled when it comes to the possession of firearms. No evidence has been advanced to suggest that these restrictions are in any way inadequate.

Whilst the number of shotgun certificates has fallen by over 25 per cent since 1989, armed crime has risen dramatically during the same period. This is the real problem that the police and Home Office ought to be addressing.

WILLIAM HARRIMAN

Marford, Clwyd