Asked by: Michael Fallon (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial assistance he plans to provide to Kent Police in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government is confident that we will secure the right deal for the UK’s exit from the European Union. We are working with the police to make appropriate plans should they be required. Any force which faces significant unexpected costs may apply for additional funding through the Police Special Grant in the first instance. Kent Police has made a request for funding through Special Grant in respect of planning costs, which is being considered.
Asked by: Michael Fallon (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposals in the consultation on offensive and dangerous weapons, published in October 2017, to prohibit the private ownership of items on the offensive weapons list on people who currently possess such items; and what guidance her Department plans to issue to people on the legality of continued possession of such items.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government’s consultation on new legislation on offensive and dangerous weapons closed on 9 December 2017. We are currently considering the responses and the Government will publish its response to the consultation in early 2018.
Asked by: Michael Fallon (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current firearms legislation in controlling the risk to the public from the legal ownership of firearms.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The firearms licensing system is kept under review to safeguard against abuse and to maintain public safety. We have taken forward a range of measures to strengthen the controls including:
- two new offences to tighten controls on deactivated firearms and imitation firearms in the Policing and Crime Act 2017;
- a consultation on defining antique firearms in statute, to provide legal
clarity and prevent them falling into criminal hands. Responses to the consultation are currently being considered;
- a consultation on proposals to prohibit two types of firearm of particular concern: large calibre rifles and certain rapid firing rifles. Responses to the consultation are currently being considered; and,
- we have commenced a review of the regulation of air weapons.
The Government will continue to keep firearms legislation under review to
ensure it remains effective in preventing misuse, while ensuring lawful owners can continue to use their firearms safely.
Asked by: Michael Fallon (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on changes to police pay in 2018-19.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Secretary wrote to the Chair of the Police Remuneration Review Body on 7 December asking them to conduct their annual review of police pay for the 2018-19 pay round. Discussions with the Chancellor on the pay round for 2018-19 will be held in due course.