Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) firearm and (a) shotgun certificates have been issued to people who had previously faced allegations of domestic abuse.

The Firearms Act 1968 gives responsibility for the issuing of firearms certificates to Chief Officers of Police.

The Statutory Guidance to Chief Officers of Police on firearms licensing, issued by the Secretary of State, makes it clear that any allegations of domestic abuse concerning a firearms certificate applicant must be taken extremely seriously. Any evidence of domestic abuse will mean that the application is usually refused, or the existing certificate revoked.