Violent Crime Reduction Bill

I strongly support my noble friend Lord Shrewsbury. I am astonished that the Government can put forward such a proposal, which my noble friend is trying to remove because it is obviously the wrong way to approach the matter. It is fatuous for all the reasons given by my noble friend. It will be a test of common sense to hear what the Minister says about the idea of reducing the age to 16 for people to be allowed to buy the sort of tools of their trade and life, to which my noble friend referred. It will be a test of the Government. I am horrified that such a proposal from some nameless official ever got as far as being in the Bill at all.