Recommendation 84

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health says that an individual’s mental health “can change in a short period of time and fluctuate rapidly”.203 Despite this, in- depth checks are carried out on firearms owners only at initial applications and at five- yearly renewals. Dr North, a founding member of the Gun Control Network, stated that currently “there aren’t many ongoing checks between the five-year period”.204 The British Association for Shooting and Conservation went further, saying that there is “potentially no medical monitoring during the life of the certificate”.205 This is the more problematic because Dr North told us that “five years is often being extended now”206 due to the delays which some police forces are experiencing in processing renewals - some firearms owners whose licences have lapsed have been given “temporary permits”.207 Dr North stated that temporary permits mean that firearms owners “do not have to surrender their gun before renewal”208, meaning that they are in possession of firearms for longer without checks. Professor Peter Squires, Professor Emeritus of Criminology and Public Policy at the University of Brighton, quoting a 2015 report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services209, told us that this represents a “[f]ailure to undertake ongoing monitoring of health, including mental well-being”.210 For this reason, we have heard calls for ongoing or interim medical checks during the life of licences. 200 Q72 201 Q218 202 Q219 203 Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, Mental health, accessed 6 December 2022 204 Q20 205 British Association for Shooting and Conservation, Statutory guidance on firearms licensing published, accessed 13 September 2022 206 Q20 207 Q20 208 Q20 209 At the time of the 2015 report, this organisation was named ‘Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’. 210 Professor Peter Squires (FLR0007) Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland 27