Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data on the performance of firearms licensing departments her Department has received in each of the last three years.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The issuing of firearms certificates and the efficiency of police forces is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police and they are held to account by Police and Crime Commissioners.
However, the performance of forces is actively being monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing, Deputy Chief Constable David Gardner, and he is developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams, which it is intended will be published soon, to provide greater transparency on application turnaround times.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times the Home Office Firearms Fees Working Group met in 2022 and 2023; what conclusions it reached on firearms licensing fees; and if she will publish its report.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. This gave effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto. The fees had not been increased since 2015 and they no longer met the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that the fees were increased to provide full-cost recovery so that service improvements can be made.
A review of firearms licensing fees was started in 2022 under the previous Government, and was informed by a Firearms Fees Working Group, chaired by the Home Office and including representation from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, the Scottish Government, the Countryside Alliance and national representative shooting organisations.
The Working Group met in person on 7 April 2022 and again on 3 May 2023. There were also communications between Working Group members on the development of the fee proposals in this period in addition to the meetings. As part of the review, data was collected on firearms licensing costs in 31 police forces in January 2023, and this data was discussed by the Working Group. The previous Government reached no final conclusions before the General Election was called.
The new full-cost recovery fees introduced by this Government are based on the 2023 data, updated to reflect increases in costs since then. A full impact assessment, which shows how the data was used to calculate the fees, was published alongside the relevant statutory instrument.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on the proportion of general practitioners who place medical markers on the medical notes of patients who are firearms certificate holders.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police on firearms licensing sets out clearly the different factors that police forces must consider when deciding whether someone is suitable to have a firearms licence. The Statutory Guidance requires that medical information is supplied by the applicant before a firearms licence can be granted by a police force.
The firearms licensing system is supported by the placing of a firearms marker by the GP on the medical records of those who hold a firearms licence. As part of the medical arrangements for firearms licensing, GPs are asked to place a marker on the medical records of those who hold a firearms licence and guidance is issued by the British Medical Association to support doctors in using the marker. The marker prompts the GP to alert the police if the licence holder begins to suffer from a relevant medical condition.
Since 2023, a digital firearms marker has been available to all GP surgeries in England to use with a person’s medical record and replaces the previous marker. The Home Office is working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to put measures in place to monitor the use of the digital marker to ensure that it is operating as intended.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy that firearms certificate holders should have a marker placed on their medical notes.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police on firearms licensing sets out clearly the different factors that police forces must consider when deciding whether someone is suitable to have a firearms licence. The Statutory Guidance requires that medical information is supplied by the applicant before a firearms licence can be granted by a police force.
The firearms licensing system is supported by the placing of a firearms marker by the GP on the medical records of those who hold a firearms licence. As part of the medical arrangements for firearms licensing, GPs are asked to place a marker on the medical records of those who hold a firearms licence and guidance is issued by the British Medical Association to support doctors in using the marker. The marker prompts the GP to alert the police if the licence holder begins to suffer from a relevant medical condition.
Since 2023, a digital firearms marker has been available to all GP surgeries in England to use with a person’s medical record and replaces the previous marker. The Home Office is working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to put measures in place to monitor the use of the digital marker to ensure that it is operating as intended.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason she is not making placing of a marker on the medical notes of firearms certificate holders mandatory for general practitioners.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police on firearms licensing sets out clearly the different factors that police forces must consider when deciding whether someone is suitable to have a firearms licence. The Statutory Guidance requires that medical information is supplied by the applicant before a firearms licence can be granted by a police force.
The firearms licensing system is supported by the placing of a firearms marker by the GP on the medical records of those who hold a firearms licence. As part of the medical arrangements for firearms licensing, GPs are asked to place a marker on the medical records of those who hold a firearms licence and guidance is issued by the British Medical Association to support doctors in using the marker. The marker prompts the GP to alert the police if the licence holder begins to suffer from a relevant medical condition.
Since 2023, a digital firearms marker has been available to all GP surgeries in England to use with a person’s medical record and replaces the previous marker. The Home Office is working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to put measures in place to monitor the use of the digital marker to ensure that it is operating as intended.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has used powers under section 44 of the Police Act 1996 to require Chief Constables to provide information on the time taken by firearms licensing departments to process (a) grants and (b) renewals for (i) shotguns and (ii) section 1 firearms.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The issuing of firearms certificates and the efficiency of police forces is a matter for individual Chief Constables, who are held to account by Police and Crime Commissioners.
However, the performance of forces in this space is being actively monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for firearms licensing, Deputy Chief Constable David Gardner, and both he and his predecessor have been working actively with forces on performance related issues.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fatalities have occurred due to a person between the ages of 14 and 17 using an airgun within the law unsupervised on private land with the permission of the owner in the last 14 years.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The requested information is not held centrally.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of the arrival of Hong Kong BNO passport holders on the jobs market in the UK; and what steps the Government plans to take to help the Hong Kongers into employment.
Answered by Kevin Foster
On 31 January 2021 the UK Government launched a new immigration route for British National (Overseas) (BN(O) status holders, providing the opportunity for them and their eligible family members to live, work and study in the UK. There is no restriction in terms of where they wish to settle in the UK or plan to do so.
Work is taking place across Government and alongside civil society groups and others to support the effective integration of BN(O) status holders arriving in the UK, ensuring they have access to the necessary support to allow them to thrive in the UK.
Volumes
We estimate there are 2.9 million BN(O) status holders eligible to move to the UK, with a further estimated 2.5 million eligible dependants. There remains uncertainty in the numbers of BN(O) status holders we expect to come to the UK.
As set out in the published impact assessment, our central estimates of those who will take up this offer range between 123,000 and 153,700 BN(O) status holders and their dependants coming in the first year and between 258,000 and 322,400 over five years. Details of the impact assessment can be found at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2020/70/pdfs/ukia_20200070_en.pdf
Impact on the UK
There will be some costs to public services, but the implementation of this visa is estimated to have a net positive impact on the UK, benefiting the economy by between £2.4 and £2.9 billion over 5 years.
Access to services
As part of preparations for the Hong Kong BN(O) route, the Home Office has been working closely across Government to ensure the UK is prepared for the launch of the BN(O) route.
Officials at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have written to all local authorities in England and devolved administrations to ensure they were aware of expected numbers coming to their areas. In addition, the Department for Education is fully involved in planning and communications with local authorities, including Regional Schools Commissioners.
Regarding impact on the NHS, BN(O) status holders and their family members will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Like other nationals coming to the UK, it is right they contribute to the health care system they will be using. Income from the IHS goes directly into the NHS.
Part of the integration planning for the new BN(O) route includes access to support materials to help BN(O) status holders find work. In addition, to support employers, the Home Office has issued new guidance which clearly sets out the work BN(O) status holders and their family members can do in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of the arrival of Hong Kong BNO passport holders on the NHS.
Answered by Kevin Foster
On 31 January 2021 the UK Government launched a new immigration route for British National (Overseas) (BN(O) status holders, providing the opportunity for them and their eligible family members to live, work and study in the UK. There is no restriction in terms of where they wish to settle in the UK or plan to do so.
Work is taking place across Government and alongside civil society groups and others to support the effective integration of BN(O) status holders arriving in the UK, ensuring they have access to the necessary support to allow them to thrive in the UK.
Volumes
We estimate there are 2.9 million BN(O) status holders eligible to move to the UK, with a further estimated 2.5 million eligible dependants. There remains uncertainty in the numbers of BN(O) status holders we expect to come to the UK.
As set out in the published impact assessment, our central estimates of those who will take up this offer range between 123,000 and 153,700 BN(O) status holders and their dependants coming in the first year and between 258,000 and 322,400 over five years. Details of the impact assessment can be found at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2020/70/pdfs/ukia_20200070_en.pdf
Impact on the UK
There will be some costs to public services, but the implementation of this visa is estimated to have a net positive impact on the UK, benefiting the economy by between £2.4 and £2.9 billion over 5 years.
Access to services
As part of preparations for the Hong Kong BN(O) route, the Home Office has been working closely across Government to ensure the UK is prepared for the launch of the BN(O) route.
Officials at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have written to all local authorities in England and devolved administrations to ensure they were aware of expected numbers coming to their areas. In addition, the Department for Education is fully involved in planning and communications with local authorities, including Regional Schools Commissioners.
Regarding impact on the NHS, BN(O) status holders and their family members will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Like other nationals coming to the UK, it is right they contribute to the health care system they will be using. Income from the IHS goes directly into the NHS.
Part of the integration planning for the new BN(O) route includes access to support materials to help BN(O) status holders find work. In addition, to support employers, the Home Office has issued new guidance which clearly sets out the work BN(O) status holders and their family members can do in the UK.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of the arrival of Hong Kong BNO passport holders on schooling for all age groups.
Answered by Kevin Foster
On 31 January 2021 the UK Government launched a new immigration route for British National (Overseas) (BN(O) status holders, providing the opportunity for them and their eligible family members to live, work and study in the UK. There is no restriction in terms of where they wish to settle in the UK or plan to do so.
Work is taking place across Government and alongside civil society groups and others to support the effective integration of BN(O) status holders arriving in the UK, ensuring they have access to the necessary support to allow them to thrive in the UK.
Volumes
We estimate there are 2.9 million BN(O) status holders eligible to move to the UK, with a further estimated 2.5 million eligible dependants. There remains uncertainty in the numbers of BN(O) status holders we expect to come to the UK.
As set out in the published impact assessment, our central estimates of those who will take up this offer range between 123,000 and 153,700 BN(O) status holders and their dependants coming in the first year and between 258,000 and 322,400 over five years. Details of the impact assessment can be found at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2020/70/pdfs/ukia_20200070_en.pdf
Impact on the UK
There will be some costs to public services, but the implementation of this visa is estimated to have a net positive impact on the UK, benefiting the economy by between £2.4 and £2.9 billion over 5 years.
Access to services
As part of preparations for the Hong Kong BN(O) route, the Home Office has been working closely across Government to ensure the UK is prepared for the launch of the BN(O) route.
Officials at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have written to all local authorities in England and devolved administrations to ensure they were aware of expected numbers coming to their areas. In addition, the Department for Education is fully involved in planning and communications with local authorities, including Regional Schools Commissioners.
Regarding impact on the NHS, BN(O) status holders and their family members will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Like other nationals coming to the UK, it is right they contribute to the health care system they will be using. Income from the IHS goes directly into the NHS.
Part of the integration planning for the new BN(O) route includes access to support materials to help BN(O) status holders find work. In addition, to support employers, the Home Office has issued new guidance which clearly sets out the work BN(O) status holders and their family members can do in the UK.