"Home Office Figures Show Violent Crime to be Falling Overall but Firearms Still Haunt the UK Crime Scene
January 2002
The gun lobby has made much of the recent crime statistics for England and Wales claiming that violent crime, especially firearm related crime, is on the increase. They argue that this 'proves' that the handgun ban introduced in 1997 is not working and should be repealed. In the month before Christmas 2001, four TV documentaries concerned with firearms and crime were broadcast in Britain. GCN members and supporters took part in these when invited and the debates these programmes generated prove beyond any doubt that the case for retaining our existing gun controls needs to be strongly reasserted against the gun lobby's claim that the legislation was unfair and unworkable.
Any debate about the crime statistics and what they reveal is fraught with problems but the following facts attempt to clarify the picture. In fact, overall violent crime appears to be falling and firearms were used in only a tiny minority of offences. Contrary to the impression given in some media reports and eagerly seized upon by the gun lobby, the streets of Britain are not 'awash' with illegal guns, notwithstanding the serious criminal problems in some cities"

the whole report here - not quite the picture that Guest 7.43 would have us believe but not one for complacency either!