Clause 26 - Age limits for purchase etc. of air weapons
Violent Crime Reduction Bill
3:45 pm
Jonathan Djanogly (Shadow Solicitor General (Also Assists Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs), (Assist the Home Affairs Team); Huntingdon, Conservative)
The hon. Gentleman’s line of argument is slightly misleading. I do not have the figures in front of me, but I believe that about 80 per cent. of those 14,000 offences are against property. Perhaps I am wrong; perhaps he can put me right. He is talking about young children, who should not break windows but would break them with a stone or a slingshot anyway. I do not condone such action, but we cannot say that because an air rifle was used, the holders of 7 million airguns should be considered criminals.