Ministers must get their facts right

12.00.00am GMT Mon 19th Feb 2007

Commenting on the Prime Minister's announcement that he would seek to lower to 17 the age at which people can receive long prison sentences for possession of a gun, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Southwark North & Bermondsey, Simon Hughes said:

"Today's announcement by the Prime Minister shows the folly of knee-jerk reactions and regular statements that new laws are the answer.

"The 2003 Criminal Justice Act clearly made it possible for anybody in England and Wales guilty of firearms offences and over 18 on the date of sentence to have a five-year minimum period of imprisonment.

"Before the Government comes to Parliament with serious plans, ministers must get their facts right about the laws that they have recently passed and which they already think are not fit for purpose."