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: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits introducing drug contamination testing facilities in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has not made a formal assessment of the benefits of drug checking facilities, but it recognises the potential harm reduction benefits of them.
The Government facilitates drug checking facilities provided that the possession and supply of controlled drugs are licensed by the Home Office Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit or, exceptionally, relevant exemptions under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 may apply.
Ministers are clear that drug checking services must not condone drug use and should only be delivered where licensed and operated responsibly, in line with Government policy to ensure that they discourage drug use and signpost potential users to treatment and support.
Asked by: Earl of Shrewsbury (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has had with the Home Office concerning the rollout of markers on the medical notes of firearm certificate holders.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following the publication of new Home Office statutory guidance for chief officers of police on firearms licensing, which came into effect on 1 November 2021, the Department and NHS England, formerly NHS Digital, worked with the Home Office, the British Medical Association, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and other stakeholders to design and roll out the new digital firearms marker.
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.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2023 to Question 4319 on Diamorphine: Clinics, how many licenses have been obtained from his Department for the provision of Diamorphine Assisted Treatment in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Home Office domestic controlled drug premises licences are issued by the Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU) to organisations for activities at individual premises in Great Britain. Licences are valid for a period of one year from the date of issue.
Organisations wishing to provide Heroin Assisted Treatment (HAT), also referred to as Diamorphine Assisted Treatment, may also provide other treatment programmes involving controlled drugs, and in such cases they would apply for one licence for that premises for all services rather than a specific licence solely for HAT provision. Aggregate data on the number of each type of service expected to be delivered under Home Office licences issued is not routinely collected.
The below data provide estimates based on internal management information which has not been subject to quality assurance or audit, and therefore can only provide an indication of the numbers of licences where a HAT service is provided.
An indication of the number of licences including a HAT service, issued from 6 December 2018, up to and including 5 December 2023, is as follows:
2019-2
2020-1
2021-3
2022-3
2023- 2
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: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he has taken to tackle the illegal possession of firearms in England.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to tackling the threat posed by the illegal possession of firearms. Our approach is centred around:
The Government keeps firearms controls under constant review to safeguard against abuse by criminals and terrorists. The Firearms Act 2023 responds to concerns from law enforcement and extends licensing controls to miniature rifle ranges and extends the criminal law to cover possessing component parts of ammunition with intent to manufacture.
The Online Safety Act 2023 includes Firearms Offences in the list of priority offences. In addition, the recently introduced Criminal Justice Bill includes measures relating to the possession of 3D printed firearms templates.
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.
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 take steps to establish a compensation scheme for individuals who have had to wait more than one year for their firearm and shotgun licenses.
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.