From: "Richard Loweth", [EMAIL PROTECTED] Having written to my MP, Stephen Dorrell, asking him to contact the Home Office Minister to clarify the position regarding pistols at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games I today received this reply: Dear Stephen, Thank you for your letter of 18 August enclosing one from Mr Richard Loweth about the prohibition on short firearms. During the passage of the Firearms (Amendment) Bill in 1997, Ministers made commitments to consider favourably any request to allow pistol shooting to take place at the Commonwealth Games in 2002. The Home Secretary has powers under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 which would make this possible. Any such arrangements would apply equally to competitors from Britain and overseas and would last for the duration of the Games only. There is no question of British competitors being allowed to practice with their pistols in this country prior to the Games. This is not a relaxation or weakening of the handgun ban. It is merely an arrangement to allow a specific, major international Games to be held in this country. The Government remains firmly committed to the prohibition on short firearms and there are no plans to relax it. Charles Clarke MP My next step? To write asking if Ministers would "consider favourably" the IPSC World Pistol Championships....BUT is there any reader PLEASE LET US KNOW who is able to write OFFICIALLY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OF UKPSA to formally request the Home Office to use "powers under section 5" to "make this possible"? -- Might be worth asking the question but there is an IPSC rule about not allowing competitions in places where private individuals are not allowed to shoot the guns being used. Not that that stopped IPSC from allowing China to join but the rule is there. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
