Firearms (Amendment) Bill — 18 Jun 1997

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

My party's manifesto made a clear commitment to a free vote on a total ban on handguns. We have delivered on that commitment, and a free vote on Second Reading produced a resounding majority of 203 in favour of an extension to the ban. That is a crystal clear message from the House. We want the ban on small-calibre pistols to be introduced well before the end of the year and I hope that that will prove possible.

No point of principle or of detail on this short Bill has not been given a full airing on Second Reading and in subsequent debates on amendments and new clauses. We have made the case, we have won the argument and there can be no doubt of our intensions. We have dealt with the unfinished business that remained after the previous Government failed to allow a free vote on a complete ban on handguns. The Bill should now go to the other place for a swift passage into law. I believe that that is not only the will of the vast majority of hon. Members, but it has

18 Jun 1997 : Column 409

the public's support as shown in the general election and through expressions of public opinion before and since. I commend the Bill to the House.

Motion made, and Question put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business),

That, at this day's sitting, the Firearms (Amendment) Bill may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour.-- [Jane Kennedy.]

Question agreed to.

Question again proposed, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

Question put , That the Bill be now read the Third time:--

The House divided: Ayes 350, Noes 164.

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Party Summary

Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.

What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.

What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.

What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.

PartyMajority (Aye)Minority (No)BothTurnout
Con0 148 (+2 tell)092.6%
Lab319 (+2 tell) 1077.2%
LDem20 14073.9%
PC4 00100.0%
SNP5 0083.3%
UUP0 1010.0%
Total:348 164080.0%

Rebel Voters - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
Mr Harry BarnesNorth East DerbyshireLabno
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDem (front bench)no
Mr John BurnettTorridge and West DevonLDemno
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)no
Evan HarrisOxford West and AbingdonLDemno
Nick HarveyNorth DevonLDemno
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)no
Michael MooreTweeddale, Ettrick and LauderdaleLDemno
Lembit ÖpikMontgomeryshireLDemno
Bob RussellColchesterLDemno
Adrian SandersTorbayLDem (front bench)no
Robert SmithWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineLDemno
Matthew TaylorTruro and St AustellLDem (front bench)no
Mr Paul TylerNorth CornwallLDem (front bench)no
Phil WillisHarrogate and KnaresboroughLDem (front bench)no

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