Firearms: Licensing

Lady Hermon
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what consideration is given to (a) imprisonable and (b) non-imprisonable driving offences when determining an application for a firearms licence in Northern Ireland;

(2) what consideration is given to criminal convictions, spent or otherwise, when determining an application for a firearms licence in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins
The Chief Constable of the Police Service for Northern Ireland has advised that applications for firearms certificates are assessed on a case by case basis and all relevant information, including criminal convictions, is taken into consideration in determining whether an applicant is a fit person to possess firearms within the meaning of Articles 5 and 63 (Prohibited Persons) of the Firearms (NI) Order 2004 and Appendix 2 of the Guidance on Northern Ireland Firearms Controls.

Lady Hermon
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are applied to applications for firearms licences in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins
The Chief Constable of the Police Service for Northern Ireland has advised that all applications for firearms certificates are subject to the provisions of the Firearms (NI) Order 2004 and with reference to the Guidance on Northern Ireland Firearms Controls as published by the Northern Ireland Office.

The Order and Guidance can be viewed at:

www.nio.gov.uk/index/firearms.htm