New mandatory training for firearms licensing staff will be rolled out across the UK this month, the policing minister has announced. The training aims to improve consistency and robustness in decision-making by firearms licensing teams, following the Plymouth shooting in 2021, where five people were killed by a gunman using his licensed shotgun before he took his own life.
In a letter to Plymouth MP Luke Pollard, Dame Diana Johnson confirmed that firearms licensing staff in every police force would undergo the new training. She said the initiative is designed to ensure “greater consistency across the police in delivering their firearms licensing responsibilities” and to strengthen police checks on the suitability of firearms licence applicants and holders.
As part of the changes, all firearms licence applicants are now required to provide relevant medical information with their application. A new digital firearms marker has also been introduced for medical records, allowing GPs to alert the police if a patient with a firearms licence develops a medical condition that could affect their suitability to own firearms.
Dame Diana said the system would be monitored to ensure it operates effectively. She added that the reforms are part of the government’s broader response to recommendations from Plymouth’s senior coroner and the Independent Office for Police Conduct, issued after the Keyham tragedy.
In her letter, the minister also addressed the government’s consultation on firearms reform, launched in summer 2023. While she promised to prioritise publishing the government’s formal response, she could not commit to a specific timeline.
Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, welcomed the announcement, saying: “I know the police minister understands the strength of feeling in our city and the commitment she has made is an important step forward, as is the additional police training she has brought in. Since the Keyham tragedy, I have campaigned alongside the community here to reform Britain’s gun laws for the better so that a tragedy like this never happens again.”
The mandatory training and digital marker system mark significant steps towards addressing gaps in the licensing process, ensuring that firearms legislation is enforced more consistently and effectively across the country. The shooting industry and broader rural community will be watching closely to ensure these measures remain practical and proportionate while addressing public safety concerns.
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