Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the evidence underpinning the proposal to merge Section 1 and Section 2 firearms licensing systems; and whether the Department has evaluated the current rate of serious incidents involving legally held shotguns.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has committed to publishing a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns. This was set out in the Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025.
Recommendations to strengthen the controls on shotguns had been made to Government by the Coroner following the inquest into the deaths of those who were shot and killed in Keyham, Plymouth in August 2021. Similar recommendations had also been made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct following its investigation into the Plymouth shootings, and by the Scottish Affairs Committee following a fatal shooting with a shotgun in Skye in August 2022.
We intend to publish the consultation shortly and we will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to it, before taking any decision on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the additional workload that would fall on police firearms licensing units if Section 1 licence conditions were applied to Section 2 shotgun certificates.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has committed to publishing a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns. This was set out in the Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025.
Recommendations to strengthen the controls on shotguns had been made to Government by the Coroner following the inquest into the deaths of those who were shot and killed in Keyham, Plymouth in August 2021. Similar recommendations had also been made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct following its investigation into the Plymouth shootings, and by the Scottish Affairs Committee following a fatal shooting with a shotgun in Skye in August 2022.
We intend to publish the consultation shortly and we will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to it, before taking any decision on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has assessed the potential economic impact on (a) rural communities, (b) sporting shooting activities and (c) conservation work of merging shotgun and rifle licensing regimes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has committed to publishing a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns. This was set out in the Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025.
Recommendations to strengthen the controls on shotguns had been made to Government by the Coroner following the inquest into the deaths of those who were shot and killed in Keyham, Plymouth in August 2021. Similar recommendations had also been made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct following its investigation into the Plymouth shootings, and by the Scottish Affairs Committee following a fatal shooting with a shotgun in Skye in August 2022.
We intend to publish the consultation shortly and we will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to it, before taking any decision on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of crime solving rates in rural areas.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Rural crime can have devastating consequences for countryside communities and the agricultural sector. That is why this Government is committed to reducing crime in rural areas. The Home Office works in partnership with DEFRA to improve the response to rural crime. Together, we supported the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to deliver the Rural and Wildlife Crime strategy for 2025-28. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling rural crimes.
We are improving the safety of rural communities with tougher measures to clamp down on equipment theft, anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.
We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 and fully support its aims to tackle the theft and resale of ATVs, quad bikes and GPS systems. We will introduce the necessary secondary legislation when Parliamentary time allows.
We are also introducing, through the Crime and Policing Bill, a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, where the items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and are on those premises, and where it has not been reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court. This will provide a valuable tool for police in tackling stolen equipment and machinery.
Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee means there will be an additional 3000 officers in neighbourhood policing teams in England and Wales by March 2026, whilst also ensuring each community, including rural communities, has a named, contactable officer to turn to.
This financial year the Home Office has provided the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). This funding boost of over £800,000 will help these specialist policing units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of merging Section 1 and Section 2 licensing on existing waiting times for firearms licensing; and whether the merger could exacerbate current delays.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has committed to publishing a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns. This was set out in the Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025.
Recommendations to strengthen the controls on shotguns had been made to Government by the Coroner following the inquest into the deaths of those who were shot and killed in Keyham, Plymouth in August 2021. Similar recommendations had also been made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct following its investigation into the Plymouth shootings, and by the Scottish Affairs Committee following a fatal shooting with a shotgun in Skye in August 2022.
We intend to publish the consultation shortly and we will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to it, before taking any decision on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on trends in the level of drug misuse crime.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The ONS publishes data from Crime Survey in England and Wales on the extent and trends of illicit drug use and it can be found here:
The Home Office publishes police recorded crime data for trafficking of drugs and possession of drugs and it can be found here:
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent glassware attacks at late night venues; and whether her Department plans to engage with the Bottle Stop campaign.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The police are responsible for protecting the public by detecting and preventing crime. The government expects the police to respond to all allegations made, including those involving violence in the night time economy, and treat them seriously, investigate and consider any arrests or charging decisions as required.
The Home Office has responsibility for the Licensing Act 2003, which determines the regime for the licensing of, among others, venues which sell alcohol. The Act sets out four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; the prevention of public nuisance; upholding public safety and protecting children from harm.
Local licensing authorities are responsible for making licensing decisions in England and Wales and ensuring the licensing objectives are upheld. The Government publishes statutory guidance to assist licensing authorities in fulfilling these duties. The guidance sets out matters that should be considered by a licensing authority in relation to public safety. This explicitly includes giving consideration to requiring, as part of a premises licence, the use of plastic containers and preventing customer access to glass bottles.
The Government regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders on matters relating to the Licensing Act 2003 and the sale and supply of alcohol.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of licensing laws for supporting rural and community pubs.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Hospitality businesses are vital to our communities, both in town centres and in rural areas. As well as providing local jobs and supporting local supply chains, they help create places where people want to live, work, visit and invest.
No assessment has been made specifically of the link between licensing laws and supporting rural and community pubs, however a wider reform programme is underway following the report of a Licensing Taskforce and consultation with stakeholders over the past year. The Government aims to support all hospitality businesses, by developing reforms which lead to a more responsive and enabling licensing system for hospitality and leisure businesses that also protects and safeguards communities.
As part of the licensing reforms programme a Call for Evidence closed in November with over 2,000 responses to a range of questions about changes that could be made to the licensing regime. Following that we published a new National Licensing Policy Framework (NLPF) for the hospitality sector, which set how the Licensing Act should be applied to support the growth of hospitality businesses and highlights examples of good practice.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms offences have been committed with 3D-printed guns in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Offences involving the use of 3D printed firearms offences are not recorded separately within the crime statistics published by the Office for National Statistics. A firearm manufactured using 3D printing technology is regarded as a firearm under the Firearms Act 1968 and the controls set out in that Act apply. The overall number of offences involving firearms offences decreased by 16%, to 5,053 offences in the year ending June 2025 compared to the year ending June 2024.
The Government works closely with the police and the National Crime Agency to ensure that we have the right laws, intelligence, detection and enforcement capabilities to tackle the threat posed by the unlawful possession and use of firearms, including firearms manufactured in full, or in part, using 3D printing technology. This includes the measures in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 which, when commenced, will make it an offence to possess or supply templates for the 3D printing of firearms.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of higher education providers require Student Visa applicants to prove their knowledge of English before issuing a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
To make a successful Student visa application, all international students must meet the relevant English Language requirement that applies to their circumstances, in line with Appendix Student of the Immigration Rules. The methods that a Student may rely on to meet their English Language requirement are outlined in Appendix English Language of the Immigration Rules. Whilst most acceptable methods require submission of evidence with the application, where the student is studying a course at degree level of above at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance, the sponsor can make a self assessment. The Home Office does not record data on which methods students have relied on for the purposes of meeting the English Language requirements in a manner that enables comparative figures to be produced.
All student sponsors have a duty to assess that each student’s English language ability is of the required level as specified in Appendix Student before they issue a CAS to the student. Sponsors are required to state the evidence used to assess the student’s English language ability on the CAS.