Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has received representations on differences in practice between police forces on firearms licensing and registration; and if she will implement (a) a national standard for that practice and (b) a database of all licensed firearms.

We know that there are some variations in practice between police forces in processing firearms licensing applications. This is why the Government intends to issue statutory guidance to the police on their firearms licensing functions. We consulted on draft guidance between 23 July and 17 September 2019 and we are considering the responses received, as well as discussing the details with interested parties. While the granting of firearm certificates is an operational matter for the police, they will be required to have regard to the statutory guidance when issued, which will ensure greater consistency in firearms licensing practice across all forces.

The National Firearms Licensing Management System is a central database which provides records of all firearm and shotgun certificate holders and registered firearms dealers who have been licensed by the police to hold firearms in accordance with the Firearms Act 1968.