Information about gifts and hospitality are made available on gov.uk on a monthly basis, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that their investigation continues as officers review evidence, including video footage supplied by witnesses. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

The issuing of firearm and shotgun certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the processing of licensing applications are matters for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners.

On 9 January 2026, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) issued an accelerated cause of concern notice to the Chief Constables of Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary, who are involved in a tripartite firearms licensing arrangement. The three Chief Constables responded to HMICFRS’ request and they set out in an action plan how they intended to address the issues set out in the notice within 28 working days. We expect delivery of this action plan to lead to continued improvements in reducing firearms licensing delays across the three force areas.

The Government has taken action to increase firearms licensing fees to provide full-cost recovery for licensing applications considered by police forces. The increases took effect on 5 February 2025 and this was the first increase in fees for ten years. The Home Office wrote to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the increased fees must be used to support improvements in firearms licensing by police forces The Government has also committed to more regular reviews of licensing fees, and for the first time there will be increases based on the annual Consumer Price Index, and on this basis, the most recent increases in licensing fees came into effect on 6 June 2026.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing now publishes quarterly performance data for all police forces in England and Wales, including performance against an expectation that applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates should be completed within four months. We welcome this greater transparency and efforts to improve performance, while recognising that public safety must remain the priority and all suitability checks must be completed properly.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 12 February 2026 to question 110962.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-02-04/110962

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 12 February 2026 to question 110962.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-02-04/110962

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 12 February 2026 to question 110962.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-02-04/110962

The Government will undertake a consultation in due course on strengthening the controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms.

We will carefully consider the views put forward during the consultation before taking any decision on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including on rural communities and businesses, at the relevant time.

Information about gifts and hospitality are made available on gov.uk on a monthly basis, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) officers would only dispatch animals by shooting in rare and complex animal welfare cases and during depopulation.

There are no central records of cattle or sheep killed by shooting by APHA for animal welfare reasons in the last 3 years.

While there may be a public interest in disclosing the number of losses and thefts, doing so would, or would be likely to prejudice capability, effectiveness of security arrangements, or the security of the US Visiting Forces. For these reasons it would not be appropriate to disclose this information. We have well established process which ensure all incidents are thoroughly investigated in partnership with the Ministry of Defence Police and/or Home Office Police Forces as appropriate.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the total number of armed officers and operationally deployable armed officers (which excludes absences) in England and Wales in the “Police use of firearms statistics” publication. The latest data, covering the year ending 31 March 2026, can be accessed on GOV.UK (at the following link):

Police use of firearms statistics, April 2025 to March 2026 - GOV.UK

Data on the number of operationally deployable armed officers, by police force area, for the last 10 years are available in the accompanying open data tables at the link above. Data on the total number of firearms officers are available at the link above from 2021/22 and by police force area from 2022/23 only. Data on total armed officers were not collected prior to 2021/22.

The issuing of shotgun and firearms certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the efficiency of police forces in processing licensing applications are matters for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners.

Firearms licensing fees charged by police forces were increased significantly from 5 February 2025 to provide full cost recovery for police forces, and they were increased again on 6 June this year by the rate of inflation to ensure that the fees keep in line with police costs. The extra income from fees is helping police forces to better resource and train their firearms licensing teams and to improve performance.

The Home Office has not routinely collected data on the time taken to process the time taken to renew shotgun and firearms licences by police forces over the past five years. However, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing now publishes quarterly performance data for firearms licensing in all police forces in England and Wales which includes a new performance target for forces to complete applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months of receipt. We welcome this greater transparency and forces making improvements in performance, subject to ensuring public safety remains the priority and suitability checks are carried out properly.

The issuing of shotgun and firearms certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the efficiency of police forces in processing licensing applications are matters for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners.

Firearms licensing fees charged by police forces were increased significantly from 5 February 2025 to provide full cost recovery for police forces, and they were increased again on 6 June this year by the rate of inflation to ensure that the fees keep in line with police costs. The extra income from fees is helping police forces to better resource and train their firearms licensing teams and to improve performance.

The Home Office has not routinely collected data on the time taken to process the time taken to renew shotgun and firearms licences by police forces over the past five years. However, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing now publishes quarterly performance data for firearms licensing in all police forces in England and Wales which includes a new performance target for forces to complete applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months of receipt. We welcome this greater transparency and forces making improvements in performance, subject to ensuring public safety remains the priority and suitability checks are carried out properly.

Section 26(2) does not create an offence relating to the purchase or acquisition of firearms using a false certificate. The offence most closely associated with such conduct is section 3(5) of the Firearms Act (FA) 1968, where it is an offence to produce a false certificate with the view of purchasing or acquiring any firearm or ammunition. Depending on the facts of the case, however, the CPS may charge these cases as a possession offence under section 1 or section 5 FA 1968. There may also be other offences considered depending on what the individual who purchases the firearms does with it.

The CPS holds management information which shows the number of offences charged by way of Section 3(5), Section 1 and Section 5 FA 1968 in which a prosecution commenced. The table below shows the number of offences charged by Act and Section in which a prosecution commenced between 2006 and 2025. The CPS is unable to differentiate whether the offences charged under section 1 or section 5 FA 1968 involved the individual using a false certificate; therefore, the information in the table below is for all offences charged under those sections of the FA 1968.

The figures relate to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants prosecuted. It can be the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same complainant. No data is held showing the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation.

The CPS does not hold management information on convictions by Act and Section and is therefore unable to provide the requested conviction figures.

Data on the number of forged firearms certificates used to purchase shotguns in England is not collected centrally. The law is clear on the sales of shotguns that a purchaser must hold the appropriate firearms certificate and transactions must comply with the relevant legal requirements and police procedures in place. The Government is considering what further action may be needed to strengthen the controls on the private sale of firearms and shotguns by licence holders.

Data on the number of forged firearms certificates used to purchase shotguns in England is not collected centrally. The law is clear on the sales of shotguns that a purchaser must hold the appropriate firearms certificate and transactions must comply with the relevant legal requirements and police procedures in place. The Government is considering what further action may be needed to strengthen the controls on the private sale of firearms and shotguns by licence holders.

The information required to answer the question could only be obtained at disproportionate cost to the Department.