The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1988

Statutory Instruments

1988 No. 2209 (C. 83)

ARMS AND AMMUNITION

The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1988

Made

19th December 1988

In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 27(3) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988(1), I hereby make the following Order:

1.  This Order may be cited as the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1988.

2.  In this Order “the Act” means the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988.

3.  Subject to article 4 below, the provisions of the Act specified in the Schedule to this Order shall come into force on 1st February 1989.

4.—(1) Sections 1(2) and 7(1) of the Act (which relate, respectively, to prohibited weapons and to the conversion of a prohibited weapon) shall not have effect—

(a) until 1st May 1989 in relation to the possession, sale or transfer of a firearm by a person who immediately before 1st February 1989 has the firearm lawfully in his possession otherwise than as a registered firearms dealer; and

(b) until 1st November 1989 in relation to the possession, purchase, acquisition, sale or transfer of a firearm by a registered firearms dealer.

(2) In paragraph (1) above “transfer” does not include letting on hire.

Douglas Hurd

One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State

Home Office

19th December 1988

Article 3

SCHEDULE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT COMING INTO FORCE ON 1ST FEBRUARY 1989

Provisions of the Act	Subject matter of provisions
Section 1	Prohibited weapons and ammunition
In section 7, subsection (1)	Conversion of prohibited weapon not to affect classification
Section 8	De-activated weapons
Section 9	Photographs on certificates
Section 10	Statements in support of applications for certificates
Section 12	Revocation of certificates
In section 13, subsections (2) to (5)	Firearms dealers
Section 14	Auctioneers, carriers and warehousemen
Section 16	Borrowed rifles on private premises
Section 21	Payments in respect of prohibited weapons
Section 22	Firearms consultative committee
In section 23, subsections (1) to (3) and (7)	Minor and consequential amendments
In section 24, subsection (1)	Expenses incurred by the Secretary of State
Section 25	Interpretation and supplementary provisions

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force on 1st February 1989 the provisions of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 specified in the Schedule to the Order. Article 4 postpones the coming into force of two provisions of that Act which extend the classes of firearms that are prohibited weapons under the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27), so that persons who are in lawful possession of certain firearms prior to that date may hold and dispose of the firearms until the end of April 1989 and registered firearms dealers may acquire, hold and dispose of such firearms until the end of October 1989.

(1)

1988 c. 45.