Mentions:
1: Chris Philp (Con - Croydon South) are today launching a consultation on removing a firearm accessory known as a sound moderator from firearms - Speech Link
Feb. 21 2024
Source Page: Firearms licensing: sound moderatorsFound: Firearms licensing: sound moderators
Feb. 21 2024
Source Page: Firearms licensing: sound moderatorsFound: Firearms licensing: sound moderators
Feb. 23 2024
Source Page: Firearms licensing: proposal to use a legislative reform order to remove sound moderators from firearms licensing controls. Government consultation. 15p.Found: Firearms licensing: proposal to use a legislative reform order to remove sound moderators from firearms
Asked by: Mark Pawsey (Conservative - Rugby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of fees for firearms licences.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Fees for firearms licences were last increased in 2015 and the Government is currently considering proposals for new firearms licensing fees.
I hope to make an announcement about fees shortly.
Income received from firearms licensing fees should be invested into ensuring forces’ licensing teams are adequately resourced, trained and equipped.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2023 to Question 4543 on Firearms: Licensing, whether the Firearms Licensing Fees working group has completed its work.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Firearms Fees Working Group last met on 3 May 2023 when it discussed proposals for new fees. I am currently considering those proposals with Ministerial colleagues before launching a public consultation.
There are no current plans for the Group to meet again but it can be reconvened if necessary.
Correspondence May. 07 2024
Committee: Scottish Affairs Committee (Department: Scotland Office)Found: Correspondence with Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire at the Home Office on Firearms
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department's working group on firearms licensing fees last met.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Fees Working Group last met on 3 May 2023.
The Working Group is chaired by the Home Office and includes representation from the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, shooting representative bodies, the Countryside Alliance, Scottish Government, and other Government departments.
The work includes a detailed review of the current cost to the police of administering firearms licensing in order to develop proposals for revised fees, in accordance with HM Treasury guidance.
I am currently considering the proposals for new fees with Ministerial colleagues and I have discussed them with the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, Members of Parliament and the NPCC Lead for Firearms Licensing.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) make an assessment of the performance of police forces in issuing firearms and shotgun licences and (b) centralise the responsibility for issuing those licences with the police force that performs the best against the metrics used for that assessment.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We do not collect data on the time taken by police forces to issue firearm and shotgun certificates.
The issue of how individual forces’ firearms licensing departments deal with applications for firearms certificates is an operational matter for the Chief Officer of each police force concerned. However, I have written to all Police and Crime Commissioners about the importance of an efficient and effective firearms licensing process in police forces and I continue to receive updates on force performance. In addition, force performance is being actively monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for firearms licensing and she is working actively with forces with performance related issues.
Particular focus is being made on the backlogs in those areas of greatest risk, with a reduced routine reliance being made on the use of temporary permits, as well as a reduction in those whose certificates have expired, who have not been given temporary permits and who remain in possession of their firearms.
In addition, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is planning a thematic inspection of firearms licensing in 2024/25 and case performance is likely to be one of the issues considered and inspected.
The Home Office is currently reviewing firearms licensing fees, which were last increased in 2015 and are now considerably below the cost of the service provided. The key aim of the review is to achieve full cost recovery for the police so that they receive the funding and resources they need to provide a more effective service. The income from new fees will enable police forces to better resource, train and equip their firearms licensing teams. This will help reduce delays in processing applications, as well as supporting public safety.
There are no plans to create a central licensing body to administer firearms licensing.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of delays in the approval of firearm and shotgun licenses on people for whom a license is essential to their livelihood.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We do not collect data on the time taken by police forces to issue firearm and shotgun certificates.
The issue of how individual forces’ firearms licensing departments deal with applications for firearms certificates is an operational matter for the Chief Officer of each police force concerned. However, I have written to all Police and Crime Commissioners about the importance of an efficient and effective firearms licensing process in police forces and I continue to receive updates on force performance. In addition, force performance is being actively monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for firearms licensing and she is working actively with forces with performance related issues.
Particular focus is being made on the backlogs in those areas of greatest risk, with a reduced routine reliance being made on the use of temporary permits, as well as a reduction in those whose certificates have expired, who have not been given temporary permits and who remain in possession of their firearms.
In addition, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is planning a thematic inspection of firearms licensing in 2024/25 and case performance is likely to be one of the issues considered and inspected.
The Home Office is currently reviewing firearms licensing fees, which were last increased in 2015 and are now considerably below the cost of the service provided. The key aim of the review is to achieve full cost recovery for the police so that they receive the funding and resources they need to provide a more effective service. The income from new fees will enable police forces to better resource, train and equip their firearms licensing teams. This will help reduce delays in processing applications, as well as supporting public safety.
There are no plans to create a central licensing body to administer firearms licensing.