Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Deferred
We also heard concerns about applicants putting pressure on people to provide references.
Conclusion
We also heard concerns about applicants putting pressure on people to provide references. Reverend Gordon Matheson told us that people in more remote and rural 81 Home Office, Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for Chief Officers of Police, December 2021, page 6 82 Q193 83 Home Office, Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for Chief Officers of Police, December 2021, page 6 84 Home Office, Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for Chief Officers of Police, December 2021, page 22 85 Home Office, Statutory guidance for Chief Officers of Police on firearms licensing, accessed 27 October 86 Q88 87 Q128 88 Q33 89 Q33 90 Q84 91 Q84 14 Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland areas may feel peer pressure to give positive references, if asked.92 He told us that, in smaller communities, “[t]he sense that you are helping out somebody I think does create an awful lot of pressure to give a favourable reference when you may have reservations”.93
Government Response Summary
The government is consulting on possible changes to the role and participation of referees in the firearms licensing process, noting similar issues were raised by the IOPC and in reports issued by the Senior Coroner.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
With regard to the Committee’s recommendations around the review of referees in the firearms licensing process, it is worth noting that similar issues were raised by both the IOPC and in the Prevention of Future Deaths reports issued by the Senior Coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon. You will see that we are now consulting on possible changes to the role and participation of referees in the firearms licensing process.