Ministers take action to curb gun crime

Ministers today moved to tackle a surge in gun crime with proposed laws to stop criminals obtaining firearms.

Possible measures include a clampdown on replicas convertible to firing live ammunition, and curbs on internet and mailorder gun dealers.

The proposals outlined by Home Office minister Caroline Flint could amount to a rewrite of the complex and outdated 1968 Firearms Act.

This may include further restriction of legal gun ownership, raising the age limit for gun use and tightening up on shotgun licences.

At the same time, a report by the police inspectorate praises Operat ion Trident, the Metropolitan Police initiative to tackle firearms offences within the black community.

The study stresses the need to involve local communities, including ethnic minorities, in tackling gun use, and suggests more armed officers may be needed in other parts of the UK.

Ministers have been taken aback by a rise of more than a third in gun crime since the last election in 2001. Much of the increase has been linked to the drugs trade.

Guns were used in 10,000 crimes last year.