Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of shotgun and firearms certificates that have been granted where the applicant's doctor has not participated in the licensing process in the last three years.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In accordance with arrangements introduced in 2016, the police write to the GPs of those who apply for a firearms licence to seek relevant information regarding the applicant’s health before the licence is issued. We do not collect statistics on the number of certificates that have been granted without the applicant’s GP having participated in the process. However, reports from police forces and firearms licence applicants indicate that the participation rates amongst GPs are variable. We have been in discussions with the police, medical bodies and shooting representatives about how greater consistency can be achieved.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of GPs in each police constabulary area who are not participating in the firearms licensing process.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In accordance with arrangements introduced in 2016, the police write to the GPs of those who apply for a firearms licence to seek relevant information regarding the applicant’s health before the licence is issued. We do not collect statistics on the number of certificates that have been granted without the applicant’s GP having participated in the process. However, reports from police forces and firearms licence applicants indicate that the participation rates amongst GPs are variable. We have been in discussions with the police, medical bodies and shooting representatives about how greater consistency can be achieved.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the five nearest Passport interview offices to Luton are by journey time; and what benchmark journey times his Department used in its decision to close the office in Luton.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Her Majesty’s Passport Office provides an online service where by entering their postcode, customers can find their nearest passport interview office. Find a passport interview office can be found on GOV.UK at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/passport-interview-office
Minimising the impact upon customers was a key consideration in the decision to close the Luton interview office, with the distance and time for travel to the closest passport interview office in London being in line with many other parts of the UK.
Asked by: Gavin Shuker (Independent - Luton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of HM Passport Office's customers resident in Luton are required to attend an interview when making an passport application.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Her Majesty’s Passport Office do not hold information on how many people in a particular area could be required to attend a passport application interview.