Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what service level agreements exist for firearms licensing.

On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. This gave effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto.

The fees were previously increased in 2015 and they no longer met the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that the fees provide full cost recovery so that service improvements can be made. The need to increase firearms licensing fees to help address shortcomings in firearms licensing was highlighted by the Senior Coroner in his Preventing Future Deaths reports into the fatal shootings in Plymouth in August 2021.

I have written to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the income from increased fees must be used to support improvements in the service provided by their firearms licensing teams.

The NPCC Lead on Firearms Licensing is currently developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services will later this year be undertaking a thematic inspection of police forces’ arrangements in respect of firearms licensing.

Improvements in police performance will be supported in addition by the introduction of national training, the Statutory Guidance to Chief Officers of Police, and the refreshed Authorised Professional Practice for firearms licensing. We will also be shortly publishing the Government response to the consultation held in 2023 on recommendations for improvements in firearms licensing.