Home Office minister Caroline Flint has launched a new £1 million initiative aimed at speeding up the prosecution of firearms offences.

The National Firearms Forensic Intelligence Database has been designed to help police forces in England and Wales by providing fast national checks of weapons used in gun crimes.

The gun crime reduction minister watched a demonstration of the new technology before holding round-table talks with home secretary David Blunkett and police and community groups on tackling the growing problem.

Despite an overall fall in the crime rate, the number of firearms offences has gone up under Labour.

Last year 97 lives were lost to gun crime, with gang related shootings the main cause.

On New Years day the death of two teenage girls in Birmingham from gunshot wounds provoked a public outcry at the problem.

The Birmingham deaths prompted a Home Office sponsored gun amnesty in April, during which 43,908 guns and 1,039,358 rounds of ammunition were handed in.

The new database is a joint initiative from the Forensic Science Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

It will be used to help police forces check the records on banned weapons and provide "strategic intelligence" on gun crime.

Flint said the database would prove an "invaluable tool" for the police.

"Using cutting edge technology, it will help to bring more of the criminals who spread fear in our communities to justice," she said.

"Tougher laws, effective enforcement, and working closely with communities is making a real difference.

"But we need to keep up the momentum, and I will be meeting later today with expert and community representatives to look at what more needs to be done.

"The government is determined to tackle the gun crime which can rip apart lives, families and communities."