---

Home Office

Answer

Mr. Corbett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken for (a) issuing and (b) renewing firearm certificates and shotgun licences in (i) Devon and Cornwall, (ii) Avon and Somerset, (iii) South Wales, (iv) Northumberland, (v) West Midlands and (vi) Cambridgeshire; and what the figures were in each of the previous five years. [117525] Mr. Charles Clarke: The information is not kept centrally, but I understand from the forces concerned that the average number of weeks taken for issuing and renewing firearm certificates and shotgun licences is given in the tables. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Issue Renewal Firearms Shotguns Firearms Shotguns Devon and Cornwall 10-12 10-12 10-12 10-12 Avon and Somerset 6 6 8 8 South Wales 8-10 6-8 8-10 6-8 Northumbria 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 West Midlands 4 4 4 4 Cambridgeshire 5.2 4.2 4.6 4.1 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Devon and Cornwall {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- Avon and Somerset {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- South Wales Firearms grant 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 Firearms renewal{2} 6-8 6-8 6-8 {1}-- {1}-- Shotgun grant 5-7 5-7 5-7 5-7 5-7 Shotgun renewal{2} 6-8 6-8 6-8 {1}-- {1}-- Northumbria Firearms grant 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 Firearms renewal{3} .5 .5 .5 {1}-- {1}-- Shotgun grant 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 Shotgun renewal{3} .5 .5 .5 {1}-- {1}-- West Midlands {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- {1}-- Cambridgeshire Firearms grant 4.4 5.4 4 3.8 4.3 Firearms renewal 3 5 3.1 {1}-- {1}-- Shotgun grant 3 4.7 4.6 3.4 3.6 Shotgun renewal 1.7 3.4 2.4 {1}-- {1}-- _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Not applicable {2} Renewals by post 1-3 weeks {3} Postal Note: Not all forces were able to provide information for the previous 5 years. There were in any event no renewals in 1998 and 1999 due to the extended life of certificates from 3-5 years.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

347 c381-2W; 117525

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Devon Cornwall Licensing Firearms Wales Somerset Cambridgeshire West Midlands Northumberland

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk