61.— The following section is inserted in the Firearms Act 1964 after section 27B:

“Provisions relating to minimum sentences under Firearms Acts 1925 to 2006.

27C.— (1) In this section, “ minimum term of imprisonment” means a term specified by a court under—

(a) section 15 of the Principal Act,

(b) section 26, 27, 27A or 27B of this Act, and

(c) section 12A of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990,

less any reduction in the period of imprisonment under subsection (3) of this section.

(2) The power to commute or remit punishment conferred by section 23 of the Criminal Justice Act 1951 does not apply in relation to a minimum term of imprisonment.

(3) The rules or practice whereby prisoners generally may earn remission of sentence by industry and good conduct apply in relation to a person serving such a minimum term.

(4) Any powers conferred by rules made under section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1960, as applied by section 4 of the Prisons Act 1970, to release temporarily a person serving a sentence of imprisonment shall not be exercised during a minimum term of imprisonment, unless for grave reason of a humanitarian nature, and any release so granted shall be only of such limited duration as is justified by that reason.”.

Amendment of Criminal Justice Act 1984