VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Firearms: Licensing

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeHome OfficeTabled Answered 13 January 2026UIN 102961

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the approval rate percentage of shotgun licence renewals within the target timeframe for Cambridgeshire Constabulary compared to the national average.

Answered by Sarah Jones

The issuing of firearms certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the efficiency of police forces, including the timeframe taken for processing shotgun licence renewals, is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners. Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary work together on firearms licensing as part of a tripartite arrangement between the forces and report to each of the relevant Chief Officers.

The Home Office does not routinely collect data on the percentage of shotgun licence renewal applications that are approved within the target time of four months for each police force.

However, the National Policing Chiefs Council (NPCC) lead for Firearms Licensing now publishes quarterly performance data for firearms licensing in all police forces in England and Wales. The data is published on the NPCC website at firearms-licensing-2526-q2-headlines.pdf and includes a combined percentage figure for the number of applications for the grant and renewal of licensing applications completed within four months of their receipt, including for Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim