| Short Title: | Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 |
| Parliament: | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Long Title: | An Act to amend the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1992; to make provision in relation to the licensing and regulation of pistol clubs; to make further provision for regulating the possession of, and transactions relating to, firearms and ammunition; and for connected purposes. |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Statute Book Chapter: | 5 |
| Territorial Extent: | England and Wales Scotland |
| Royal Assent: | 27 February 1997 |
| Amendments: | Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997 |
| Related Legislation: | Firearms Act 1968
|
| Status: | Amended |
| Original Text: | http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/5/enacted |
| Use New Uk-Leg: | yes |
| Revised Text: | http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/5 |
The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 was introduced in the United Kingdom by the Conservative government of John Major, in response to the Dunblane school massacre and the recommendations of the Cullen Report that followed it.[1]
It effectively banned the private possession of all handguns other than those chambered for .22 rimfire cartridges in Great Britain (not Northern Ireland) by making them subject to Section 5 (Prohibited Weapons) of the Firearms Acts. It also made it illegal to tranquilize a human.[2]
Tony Blair's Labour Government followed later in the year with the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997 which banned .22 handguns.