My Lords, I will also speak to Amendments 203G and 203H. The Committee is pressed for time so I shall try to avoid wearying it with too much detail. At Second Reading I raised the issue of deactivated firearms covered by Clause 114 and declared my interest as an owner of one deactivated firearm. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of Vicky Ford MEP and our Home Office officials, the EU is understandably hell bent on a knee-jerk reaction to the tragic events in Paris. The EU proposals are technically weak and difficult to understand, partially because of the technical terms used. I understand that a significant proportion of the briefing against Ms Ford’s position has come from the Liege proof master. Apparently that official is now being investigated regarding serious criminal matters involving firearms. If these EU provisions come into effect they will have a very serious impact on collectors, the trade in deactivated firearms and the film industry throughout the EU, which could be badly affected because it will be harder to make action films safely.
The Minister has no shortage of expert advice available to her and I am grateful to her for making her officials available to brief me. She has an excellent lead technical official in the Home Office, to whom I pay tribute, as well as access to the London and Birmingham proof masters. As a result, for many years we have had an excellent regime for deactivating firearms.
Noon
My Amendment 203F is a probing amendment that looks at inheritance, while Amendment 203G is an anti-forestalling suggestion that looks at the possible use of companies to get around the Bill’s provisions. Perhaps the best way for the Minister to respond to these two issues is to write to me, copying in the rest of the Committee.
My Amendment 203H is designed to expose the weaknesses in the EU regulations if implemented without the current UK regulations being in place as well. However, it may be more profitable to suggest a solution to the problem rather than explore it in detail. Rather than Bill directly referring to EU legislation, would it not be better for the Minister to take an order-making power to make regulations to replace the effect sought from new Section 8A(4)(c) of the 1988 Act? Initially the regulations might be based on the EU legislation in order to keep us compliant with our EU obligations. If and when Brexit happens, the regulations under the order can easily be changed so that we revert to solely the UK deactivation regime, which will still keep us completely safe.
Bearing in mind our time constraints, it may be for the convenience of the Committee if we allow the Minister to speak now to her amendments, which cover somewhat different issues, and then to comment on my suggestion about taking an order-making power under the Bill. I have a great deal of material to put before the Committee but I hope that will not be necessary at this stage of the Bill. I beg to move.