Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) 0.5 calibre rifles have been (i) used in connection with criminal offences and (ii) reported stolen from certificate holders and (b) criminal convictions have resulted from (iii) the use of or (iv) the illegal provision of 0.5 calibre rifles, in the last five years.

Statistics on firearm offences are not broken down by the calibre of firearm used but the Government is not aware of any offences involving 0.5 calibre rifles in the last five years. One 0.5 calibre rifle was reported stolen in 2016 and this rifle was subsequently successfully recovered.

The Government is concerned about the risks that high muzzle energy rifles would pose to public safety if they were to be acquired by criminals or terrorists. Given the strength of views on this issue, the Government intends to launch a public consultation on this and other firearms matters later this year.