Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department,what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the introduction of medical verification of firearms licencing on trends in the number of people applying for a grant or renewal of a (a) shotgun certificate and (b) firearms certificate.

The police are responsible for assessing the suitability of those who apply for the grant or renewal of a firearm or shotgun certificate. The police carry out a number of checks to ensure that those in possession of firearms do not pose a danger to public safety, and this includes checks relating to the medical suitability, based on information from the applicant’s GP. This is an important part of the process, as it helps to ensure that those who have lawful access to firearms do not pose a risk to themselves or to others.