12/05/2004

Firearms law review aims to tackle gun crime

A comprehensive review of the UK's gun laws and a £2.25 million cash boost to help communities tackle gun crime have been unveiled by the government today as part of its drive to tackle firearms offences.

Up to £2 million pounds of criminals' recovered assets will be reinvested in helping communities tackle gun crime – which will include a new website to share information and support for new and existing community events and programmes. The remaining slew of £250,000 will create a new Connected Fund which will invest in small community organisations tackling gun crime.

Home Office Minister, Caroline Flint, said that the UK's firearms legislation was "highly complex" and needed to be reviewed to "ensure that we have effective controls".

"The active engagement of communities is vital to tackle gun crime, and the government is working closely with community groups," she said.

"The funding I am announcing today will help community groups tackle the gun crime which blights too many of our neighbourhoods."

Today's announcement follow on top of new laws on gun crime to bring in a five-year minimum sentence for the possession of an illegal gun, new restrictions on air weapons and replicas, a firearms amnesty which took 43,000 guns and a million rounds of ammunition off the streets, and work to help communities tackle gun crime and crack down on gun culture.

(gmcg)

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