Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of (a) digitising and (b) centralising the firearms licensing process on police time.

The Government has no plans to introduce the centralisation of the firearms licensing process. The Firearms Act 1968 places statutory responsibility for firearms licensing on the Chief Officer of Police of each individual force in England, Wales and Scotland.

This framework is supported by Statutory Guidance to Chief Officers of Police issued by the Home Secretary in respect of firearms licensing and by Authorised Professional Practice issued by the College of Policing.