Home Office gets more time to respond to Plymouth shootings report
The coroner's report called for 'root and branch' reform of gun laws
The Home Office has been given more time to respond to a report by the coroner into the Plymouth shootings.
It was initially given 56 days to respond to the Prevention Of Future Deaths report, which called for 'root and branch reform' of UK gun laws - but that's now been extended.
In his report, published in March, coroner Ian Arrow said there had been a serious failure at a national level to implement recommendations made after the Dunblane massacre in 1996.
Five people were killed in August 2021 before gunman Jake Davison, 22, turned the gun on himself.
In a statement, a Home Office spokesperson said, “The UK has some of the strictest gun controls in the world, which we keep under constant review to preserve public safety.
"Since the tragedy in Plymouth, the government has already taken steps to tighten firearms licencing including introducing Statutory Guidance for the police, and requiring that applications will only be considered if they include medical information from the applicant’s GP.
“We thank the Senior Coroner in Plymouth for his Prevention of Future Deaths reports. We are carefully considering the findings and expect to respond shortly.”
Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Luke Pollard said, "Gun law reform is too important for the Home Office to get wrong, but this statement from the Minister must not be kicked into the long grass.
"If we are to stop a tragedy like Keyham and Ford's from ever happening again, the Home Office must adopt the Coroner's recommendations fully and promptly."