§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days it takes to process the grant and renewal of a shotgun and firearm certificate in each police constabulary area. [108823]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThis information is not collected centrally.
§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring and evaluation of the firearms licensing regime has been carried out in respect of the level set for firearm fees. [108822]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeAs with other aspects of police administration, firearms licensing is subject to monitoring by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) as part of their inspection process.
§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representatives of shooting user groups have been invited to participate in Home Office discussions on firearms fees. [108821]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Firearms Consultative Committee (FCC), the independent statutory authority that advises the Government on firearms matters, considered initial proposals for reviewing firearms 169W licensing fees last year. The Home Office has since received detailed information from the Association of Chief Police Officers as to the basis on which the fees might be set. Ultimately, it is for the Home Secretary to lay an Order before Parliament setting out any changes, but before doing so we shall wish to consult the British Shooting Sports Council for their views.
§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to improve the efficiency of police firearms licensing departments in respect of the criticisms made in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary report in 1993. [108820]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeIn the years immediately following the publication of their 1993 Report on Firearms Licensing, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) paid particular attention to firearms licensing departments during their inspection of individual forces, having regard to the shortcomings identified in the report. In general, HMIC was satisfied that most forces had taken those steps identified by the Inspectorate to improve their efficiency and effectiveness in this area.
Since the publication of the 1993 Inspection Report, there has been considerable change in the field of firearms licensing following the tragic events at Dunblane and the subsequent legislation. There have also been wider changes, for example in the role and effectiveness of computer systems. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is, therefore, drawing up new inspection protocols for firearms licensing departments.