Clause 43 - Air weapons: age limits
Anti-social Behaviour Bill
11:15 am
Mr Matthew Green (Ludlow, Liberal Democrat)
That is exactly what I am suggesting—the use on private land with the proviso of not firing the projectile beyond the edge of the land. I suspect that the amendments are not the perfect way of achieving that. However, I hope that the Government will consider the issue. We all want to
tackle the problem without penalising the vast numbers of young people who use weapons in entirely legitimate activities.
May I ask the Minister how, if the clause becomes law, it will be enforced? My constituency has some 80 police officers to cover an area the size of Greater London, only about one quarter of whom are on duty at a time. There are thousands of air weapons that could be used over vast areas. I suspect that in rural areas the reality is that we shall have a law to which the police turn a blind eye.
It being twenty-five minutes past Eleven o'clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this day at half-past Two o'clock.