Violent Crime Reduction Bill

I am grateful to the noble Lord for his words. I go along entirely with my noble friend on the Front Bench. I agree that age limits should be raised as long as there is evidence. As my noble friend Lord Peel said, the Minister does not have the evidence, he cannot provide it today and he will not be able to provide it in the future. The fact is that raising the age limit from 17 to 18 is purely window-dressing. It is there to satisfy the Labour Party’s public, so to speak; to make it look as if it is doing everything possible to reduce crime when most of us know that it is having very little effect whatever. Nevertheless, I shall not press the matter any further. Clause 28 agreed to. Clause 29 [Firing an air weapon beyond premises]: