Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms licence certificates have been renewed in the last five years.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes annual figures on the number of firearm and shotgun licence certificate renewals and refusals in England and Wales in the ‘Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates, England and Wales’ National Statistics publication. The latest data cover the year ending 31 March 2023 and are available here: Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates, England and Wales: April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Data on the number of applications for the renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates that were granted, and the number of applications refused in the last five years are published in tables 1 and 3 of the accompanying data tables.
Reasons for refusing applications for a firearm certificate are not collected centrally. Under the Firearms Act 1968, police forces will refuse such applications where they are not satisfied that the applicant is fit to be entrusted with a firearm, has a good reason to possess a firearm, or that they can be permitted to possess a firearm without danger to the public safety or to the peace.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reassure medical practitioners who have conducted a medical check for the grant of a firearms licence certificate that there is no legal liability in the event of future misuse of that firearm.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Statutory Guidance to Chief Officers of Police for firearms licensing, which was introduced in November 2021 and refreshed in February 2023, requires applicants to provide relevant medical information from their doctor with their firearms application.
This is an important part of the licensing process which ensures that the police can consider the applicant’s medical suitability to be in possession of a firearm, helping to keep the public safe from the misuse of firearms. Doctors are also asked to place a firearms flag on the patient record as part of the continuous assessment by police of certificate holders during the five-year validity of the certificate.
The Statutory Guidance makes it clear that the responsibility for assessing whether a person is suitable to be granted a firearm certificate lies with the police, and not with the applicant’s GP or doctor. The Statutory Guidance contains a link to a Memorandum of Understanding agreed in July 2019 between the British Medical Association, the National Police Chiefs Council and the Home Office.
The Memorandum of Understanding sets out that the legal responsibility for the assessment of the suitability of a firearms applicant or certificate holder lies with the police and not with the GP. It states that while GPs will endeavour to share relevant medical information with the police, there is no legal liability if they fail to do so.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deaths have been caused by (a) licenced firearms, (b) unlicensed firearms and (c) bladed weapons in the last five years.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects data on homicides by method of killing in England and Wales. The latest data available, from April 2021 to March 2022, shows that there were 282 homicides involving a sharp instrument.
For the same period there were 9 homicides involving a licensed firearm and 19 involving an unlicensed firearm. The published data are available here Appendix tables: homicide in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) at worksheet 8, for data on method of killing including sharp instruments, and table 12 for firearms by licenced / unlicensed.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance white paper published in March 2021, what steps her Department is taking to establish the new Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority regulator.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government Response to consultation on ‘Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance’ set out ambitious proposals to improve audit and corporate governance in the UK. Reform is already underway, and the Financial Reporting Council has made significant changes.
Some of the Government’s plans, including the creation of the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority, require primary legislation. The Government will legislate when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance white paper published in March 2021, when the new Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority regulator will be established.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government Response to consultation on ‘Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance’ set out ambitious proposals to improve audit and corporate governance in the UK. Reform is already underway, and the Financial Reporting Council has made significant changes.
Some of the Government’s plans, including the creation of the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority, require primary legislation. The Government will legislate when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many referrals have been made by the Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation to law enforcement for criminal investigations into financial sanctions breaches since February 2022.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Details of reports of potential financial sanctions breaches considered in 2021-2022 are included in OFSI’s latest annual review which is available on GOV.UK. Updated figures will be provided in the next annual review.
Breaches of financial sanctions are a criminal offence and OFSI continues to assess every reported suspected breach of UK sanctions regulations. OFSI does not initiate criminal investigations into suspected breaches. Where criminal investigation is appropriate, referrals are made to relevant law enforcement partners.
Companies and individuals looking to circumvent sanctions may have a specific interest in the number of law enforcement referrals arising from reports of suspected sanctions breaches. The disclosure of any information which could prejudice OFSI’s enforcement responsibilities would not be in the public interest and may aid crimes such as the circumvention of financial sanctions.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many reports of possible sanctions breaches the Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation has received since August 2022.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Details of reports of potential financial sanctions breaches considered in 2021-2022 are included in OFSI’s latest annual review which is available on GOV.UK. Updated figures will be provided in the next annual review.
Breaches of financial sanctions are a criminal offence and OFSI continues to assess every reported suspected breach of UK sanctions regulations. OFSI does not initiate criminal investigations into suspected breaches. Where criminal investigation is appropriate, referrals are made to relevant law enforcement partners.
Companies and individuals looking to circumvent sanctions may have a specific interest in the number of law enforcement referrals arising from reports of suspected sanctions breaches. The disclosure of any information which could prejudice OFSI’s enforcement responsibilities would not be in the public interest and may aid crimes such as the circumvention of financial sanctions.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the million passengers per annum (MPPA) rate was for London Stanstead station when trains serviced that station from London at least four times per hour; what the expected MPPA rate of that station is for 2023-24; and when a decision on restoring at least four trains per hour from London to that station will be next reviewed.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Stansted Express services are operated by Greater Anglia which continues to carefully monitor passenger numbers on the route; targeted adjustments to service levels will be made when required. Greater Anglia continues to work closely with Network Rail and Manchester Airport Group, which manages Stansted Airport, to ensure service levels are adequate.
In terms of passenger numbers at Stansted Airport railway station, the last data set available relates to April 2019 - March 2020 and shows that there was an estimate of 8,474,784 station entries and exits. The data for 2023/24 is not yet available. The Office of Road and Rail produces this data and it will be available in due course.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when more frequent rail services on the Stansted Express will be restored.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Stansted Express services are operated by Greater Anglia which continues to carefully monitor passenger numbers on the route; targeted adjustments to service levels will be made when required. Greater Anglia continues to work closely with Network Rail and Manchester Airport Group, which manages Stansted Airport, to ensure service levels are adequate.
In terms of passenger numbers at Stansted Airport railway station, the last data set available relates to April 2019 - March 2020 and shows that there was an estimate of 8,474,784 station entries and exits. The data for 2023/24 is not yet available. The Office of Road and Rail produces this data and it will be available in due course.
Asked by: Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to restore four trains per hour on the Stansted Express.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Stansted Express services are operated by Greater Anglia which continues to carefully monitor passenger numbers on the route; targeted adjustments to service levels will be made when required. Greater Anglia continues to work closely with Network Rail and Manchester Airport Group, which manages Stansted Airport, to ensure service levels are adequate.
In terms of passenger numbers at Stansted Airport railway station, the last data set available relates to April 2019 - March 2020 and shows that there was an estimate of 8,474,784 station entries and exits. The data for 2023/24 is not yet available. The Office of Road and Rail produces this data and it will be available in due course.