The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire (): On 8 March, the Government
received prevention of future deaths reports from Mr Ian Arrow,
the senior coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon,
following the inquests into the deaths of the five people who
were shot and killed by Jake Davison in Keyham on 12 August
2021.
I am extremely grateful to the senior coroner for his prevention
of future deaths reports, which contain a number of significant
recommendations including changes to legislation, changes to the
statutory guidance for chief officers of police, and changes to
firearms licensing more generally. The Government have also
received recommendations in the report by the Independent Office
for Police Conduct (IOPC) following its investigation into Devon
and Cornwall police’s decision making in relation to Jake
Davison’s possession of a shotgun and shotgun certificate, with
finalised formal recommendations received on 2 May 2023, and in
the report by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee following its
review of firearms licensing regulations in Scotland, which was
published on 22 December 2022. This review was established
following the fatal shooting of John MacKinnon on the Isle of
Skye on 10 August 2022. I am also grateful to the Scottish
Affairs Committee and the IOPC for their work and
recommendations.
We have been giving careful consideration to the recommendations.
While public safety is, of course, our chief concern, it is also
right that our approach should reflect the fact that the vast
majority of licensed firearms holders are law abiding and cause
no concern. It is this balance that we are seeking to strike in
shaping our response.
One issue we are moving forward on straightaway is police
training. The Government have agreed to provide £500,000 in
funding to support the development and roll out of a new national
training package produced by the College of Policing and the
National Police Chiefs’ Council. In due course, this training
will become mandatory for police firearms licensing teams.
His Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary and fire and rescue
services will also be undertaking a thematic inspection of police
forces’ arrangements in respect of firearms licensing in 2024-25.
In addition to this, and as I referred to in my statement to the
House on 21 February on the Plymouth shootings, in respect of
Devon and Cornwall police implementing the
recommendations made to them by the IOPC in its report, I have
also asked the inspectorate, in conjunction with
the Police and Crime
Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall to carry out
an early inspection of Devon and Cornwall police’s firearms
licensing arrangements and the improvements they are undertaking.
This inspection is already under way and is due to report by the
end of July.
The Government are also in the process of reviewing firearms
licensing fees to move to full cost recovery for the police. We
intend to consult on the new fees this summer and to bring
forward the necessary statutory instrument to make the fee
changes later this year.
As I have said, public safety is our priority. At the same time,
the measures to manage the risk to public safety must be
proportionate and balanced with the fact that the vast majority
of licensed firearms holders are law abiding and cause no
concern.
It is for this reason that the Government have decided not to
proceed with recommendations on aligning shotgun and firearms
legislation. Shotguns are already subject to significant
controls, and they are important in helping farmers control
vermin on their land, as well as being used in a variety of rural
pursuits. We will keep this under review, but we are currently of
the view that additional controls on shotguns are unnecessary and
would have a negative impact on their legitimate use.
We have also considered carefully the senior coroner’s concern
that the wording of the legislation—this refers to sections 27
and 28 of the Firearms Act 1968—creates a presumption in law in
favour of granting a firearms licence to an applicant being
granted because it uses the words “shall be granted”, which might
in some way impact on how the police assess that applicant’s
suitability. We do not agree that this is the effect of the
legislation. The legislation sets out specific conditions which
must be met before the licence is granted, which includes meeting
the conditions on suitability to the satisfaction of the police.
We have therefore decided not to progress this particular
recommendation from the coroner in respect of sections 27 and 28
of the Firearms Act 1968.
The other significant recommendations made to the Government will
be the subject of an open, public consultation which is being
launched today. I should emphasise at the outset that no
decisions have been made on these recommendations, and we are
consulting to seek as broad a range of views as possible on what
has been proposed.
The consultation includes recommendations made by the senior
coroner, and also the recommendations made in the two other
important reports from the Independent Office for Police Conduct
and the Scottish Affairs Committee.
The Government have been giving very full and careful
consideration to all three reports and accompanying
recommendations. Some of the recommendations are wide-ranging and
far-reaching, and the Government want to hear views on what has
been suggested before we seek to bring forward any changes.
It is in that context that the Home Office is today publishing a
public consultation paper on firearms licensing. The consultation
will run for eight weeks. Responses to the consultation will be
considered fully and carefully. Following that, should the
Government conclude that legislative changes are necessary, we
will of course consult formally on any specific legislative
proposals before they are introduced, accompanied by the relevant
impact assessments. Should we decide to proceed on the other
recommended measures, such as changes to the statutory guidance,
these would be introduced as soon as possible.
A copy of the consultation will be placed in the Libraries of
both Houses and published on gov.uk.
