Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she next plans to update her guidance entitled Guide on firearms licensing law, last updated in November 2022.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on the number of firearms held, including shotguns, by the type of firearms certificate held. This data does not provide a specific breakdown on the type of shotgun. The latest data can be found in the table 13 via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/684aa6f1a3c112ee2996ff1e/firearm-shotgun-certificates-2024-2025-tables.ods
The Firearms Act 1968 enables a Registered Firearms Dealer (RFD) to purchase and sell firearms provided that accurate records are maintained, and all firearms are properly accounted for, including those which have been transferred to the dealer by certificate holders. Private sales can also be arranged through an RFD by the owner if he or she wishes. However, the issue of private sales is an important one. The Government keeps all controls on firearms under constant review to safeguard the public against the misuse of licensed firearms.
The non-statutory Guide on Firearms Licensing Law, last issued in November 2022, is currently in the process of being updated and a revised version will be issued in due course. However, a new version of the Statutory Guidance on firearms licensing to Chief Officers of Police was issued on 5 August 2025, and this sets out the criteria that must be applied when police forces are considering firearms applications and is intended to strengthen the assessment of those who hold, or who apply for, both shotgun and firearms licences. The Statutory Guidance is helping to ensure consistency in decision making across all police forces.
The Home Office has regular discussions with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland on firearms licensing matters through the Firearms Licensing Enforcement Board (FLEB) which is chaired by the Home Office. Sharing of firearms licensing data for operational reasons, and where there is a lawful basis for doing so, can already take place between forces in England and Wales and Police Scotland.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits requiring applicants for a shotgun or firearms licence to undergo a basic safety lesson on firearms.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety.
We intend to publish this consultation later this year. This is in addition to the publication of revised Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police in August, intended to strengthen the assessment of those who hold, or who apply for, both shotgun and firearms licences. The Statutory Guidance is helping to ensure consistency in decision making across all police forces.
The assessment of suitability to hold a shotgun or firearm, including in relation to the safety of the applicant and the wider community, is a matter for the relevant Chief Officer of Police. We do not have any plans to introduce additional safety lessons for licence holders.
The Government keeps all controls on firearms under constant review to safeguard the public against the misuse of licensed firearms.
The terrible murders in Luton on 13 September 2024, when Juliana Prosper and two of her children, Giselle and Kyle, were fatally shot by Juliana's son using an illegally purchased shotgun, exposed weaknesses in the controls on the private sale and purchase of firearms. In the light of this incident, the Government is considering options for tightening the law in this area, and we will bring forward our proposals shortly.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure consistent (a) standards and (b) decision making in the licensing of (i) shotguns and (ii) firearms.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety.
We intend to publish this consultation later this year. This is in addition to the publication of revised Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police in August, intended to strengthen the assessment of those who hold, or who apply for, both shotgun and firearms licences. The Statutory Guidance is helping to ensure consistency in decision making across all police forces.
The assessment of suitability to hold a shotgun or firearm, including in relation to the safety of the applicant and the wider community, is a matter for the relevant Chief Officer of Police. We do not have any plans to introduce additional safety lessons for licence holders.
The Government keeps all controls on firearms under constant review to safeguard the public against the misuse of licensed firearms.
The terrible murders in Luton on 13 September 2024, when Juliana Prosper and two of her children, Giselle and Kyle, were fatally shot by Juliana's son using an illegally purchased shotgun, exposed weaknesses in the controls on the private sale and purchase of firearms. In the light of this incident, the Government is considering options for tightening the law in this area, and we will bring forward our proposals shortly.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to require people wishing to sell a firearm to (a) notify the police of their intention and (b) be required to first receive verification from the police of the proposed vendor's firearms licence.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety.
We intend to publish this consultation later this year. This is in addition to the publication of revised Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police in August, intended to strengthen the assessment of those who hold, or who apply for, both shotgun and firearms licences. The Statutory Guidance is helping to ensure consistency in decision making across all police forces.
The assessment of suitability to hold a shotgun or firearm, including in relation to the safety of the applicant and the wider community, is a matter for the relevant Chief Officer of Police. We do not have any plans to introduce additional safety lessons for licence holders.
The Government keeps all controls on firearms under constant review to safeguard the public against the misuse of licensed firearms.
The terrible murders in Luton on 13 September 2024, when Juliana Prosper and two of her children, Giselle and Kyle, were fatally shot by Juliana's son using an illegally purchased shotgun, exposed weaknesses in the controls on the private sale and purchase of firearms. In the light of this incident, the Government is considering options for tightening the law in this area, and we will bring forward our proposals shortly.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of legislation on the use of e-scooters in public places.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling anti-social behaviour and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. The Crime and Policing Bill will give police greater powers to clamp down on anti-social behaviour involving e-scooters, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizure. This will allow police to put an immediate stop to offending.
The Government also recently consulted on proposals to allow the police to dispose of seized vehicles, including privately owned e-scooters, which have been used anti-socially or illegally more quickly. The consultation closed on 8 July and the Government response will be published in due course.
These combined measures will help tackle the scourge of e-scooters ridden anti-socially or illegally and will send a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.
Enforcement of road traffic legislation is an operational matter for Chief Officers of local forces to decide how best to use their powers depending on the specific circumstances.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to (a) increase restrictions on (i) buying and (ii) importing antique firearms and (b) improve the monitoring of the ownership of those firearms.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government keeps the law and controls on antique firearms under review. The Antique Firearms Regulations 2021 provides a statutory definition of antique firearm in order to clarify which firearms can safely be exempt from firearms controls and which should be subject to licensing requirements.
We undertake a review of the firearms that are exempt from control annually, to assess whether any antique firearms feature in crime, with a full review of the Regulations every three years. The most recent review identified no need for further changes to the controls on buying, possession or importing of antique firearms at this time. The Government will not hesitate to take action in relation to any antique firearms if the evidence shows that this is necessary.
Since antique firearms are exempt from most firearms controls, including the need for licensing, we do not routinely monitor their ownership.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether police officers are given (a) official targets, (b) unofficial targets and (c) recommendations for the number of fixed penalty notices they should issue.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not give police officers or police forces official or unofficial targets, or recommendations for the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) they should issue.
FPNs can be an efficient means for the police to deal with low level offences including motoring or anti-social behaviour offences, whilst reducing the burden on the courts and allowing police resources to focus on more serious crimes.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Computer Misuse Act (CMA), which criminalises unauthorised access to computer systems and data, plays a vital role in ensuring that the UK has the right legislative framework to allow us to tackle cyber harms.
The Government is committed to ensuring the CMA remains up to date and effective to tackle criminality. That is why we are undertaking a review of the act, which is currently ongoing. As part of the review, we are scoping several proposals to update the act and give law enforcement enhanced tools and powers to effectively investigate and prosecute cyber criminality.
We will provide an update in due course once proposals are finalised.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to prevent the use of off-road bikes on common land without lawful authority.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling anti-social behaviour and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.
The Crime and Policing Bill will give police greater powers to clamp down on anti-social behaviour involving vehicles, including off-road bikes on common land without lawful authority, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles. This will allow police to put an immediate stop to offending.
The Government has recently consulted on proposals to allow the police to dispose of seized vehicles which have been used anti-socially more quickly. The consultation closed on 8 July and the Government response will be published in due course.
These combined measures will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially and will send a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to prevent the illegal use of off-road bikes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling anti-social behaviour and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.
The Crime and Policing Bill will give police greater powers to clamp down on anti-social behaviour involving vehicles, including off-road bikes on common land without lawful authority, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles. This will allow police to put an immediate stop to offending.
The Government has recently consulted on proposals to allow the police to dispose of seized vehicles which have been used anti-socially more quickly. The consultation closed on 8 July and the Government response will be published in due course.
These combined measures will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially and will send a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.