The sport of shooting is, as sports go, the most controlled of all by legislation and regulation, and this is before we even get to the rules of the sport itself.

Now, the Home Office have just published the figures for Firearm certificates in England & Wales, and you would expect that they would know how many firearms were held legally, and how many people have a legal right to own firearms - but no.

It seems that despite the government's constant statements about how rigidly they control our sport, they can't get their own house in order.

Initially, the figures themselves were incorrect, but once I'd spoken to the Home Office I'm glad to say they corrected them immediately.

That said, there are NO figures whatsoever for 2006/7, and swathes of information are missing from the 2007/8 figures.

If the law abiding sports shooter in the UK were to keep records of their guns in this way, they would be prosecuted and have their firearm certificates revoked - but it seems it's OK, because this is due to the new Firearms Licensing Computer.

So this new computer - has it meant that the figures are more accurate? No

Are they published more quickly? No

Are they more detailed? No

Are they more useful? No

It seems that the pen, paper and typewriter of days gone by did a better job.

Thankfully, there are some good people in the Home Office, and we will be meeting them soon together with others who have interest in producing efficient and effective statistics, with a view to resolving this matter.