Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 53
53
Deferred
We recommend that, when approaching potential referees, applicants would be required by police to share...
Recommendation
We recommend that, when approaching potential referees, applicants would be required by police to share their unique application reference numbers with those referees. This would make it simpler to report concerns about applicants to the police. Such a system would be valuable both for those who decline to give references, and for those who give references but subsequently become concerned that applicants might no longer meet the statutory guidance’s suitability requirements.137 We recommend that the UK Government raise this recommendation with the Scottish Government, during their review of statutory guidance and best practice. Length of time between renewals
Government Response Summary
The government is consulting on possible changes to the role and participation of referees in the firearms licensing process, as similar issues were raised by the IOPC and the Senior Coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon.
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.