Question
asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the commitment by the Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety, Mr Tony McNulty, on 30 October 2006 (HC Deb, cols 49-50) that the Government would provide a defence from prosecution to those taking part in airsoft activities, and that the defence would be provided within regulations to be issued as a consequence of the provisions of the Violent Crime ReductionAct 2006, what progress has been made in drafting those regulations; and what meetings they have had with organisations representing airsoft since October 2006 so that they may assist with the drafting of the regulations.
Answer
Officials are working closely with representatives of airsoft organisations on the drafting of the regulations and met with them most recently on 10 January. Good progress is being made in defining the defence in such a way that it will apply only to bona fide airsoft activities.