Dear Mr Pemberton,

Thank you for the Regulation 28 report of 10 February 2026 sent to the Department of Health and Social Care about the death of Samuel John Dickinson. I am replying as the Minister with responsibility for data and technology.

Firstly, I would like to say how saddened I was to read of the circumstances of Samuel’s death, and I offer my sincere condolences to their family and loved ones. The circumstances your report describes are deeply tragic and I am grateful to you for bringing these matters to my attention.

The report raises concerns over firearms legislation relating to shotgun or firearms licensing (or both) and provisions on certificate holders to self-report any illness or mental health condition that may change the circumstances from the time at which the license was granted. My ministerial colleague in the Home Office will lead the response to this concern. The report also raised concerns around the obligation and provision for a General Practitioner to record the holding of a license within medical records to ensure any relevant issues are flagged, and provision for reporting of these issues, by GPs, to the local police force.

The Department have worked closely with the Home Office and the British Medical Association to ensure there are strong controls in place in relation to an applicant’s medical suitability which is an important element of the application process that the police consider when deciding if an applicant can hold a firearms or shotgun certificate.

An applicant is required to declare all relevant medical conditions upon applying and they must provide details of their GP, giving approval for their GP to share any concerns with the police for the application and throughout the period of firearms or shotgun licence, if granted. The proforma is then completed by their GP or an independent General Medical Council registered doctor. The doctor completing the proforma checks the GP medical record and must provide details of all relevant medical conditions to the police.

This process has been further strengthened within GP IT systems, where a GP can add a digital marker to the patient record, to note that the patient has a firearms certificate. This was fully rolled out to all GP IT systems in England by May 2023. If the patient begins to experience a relevant medical condition while the certificate is valid, upon discussion with the GP, the GP will see an alert and upon assessment, can ask the patient to contact the police or the GP can flag this to the police directly, with consent for this provided in the initial application. This allows the police to review the person’s continued suitability, and if necessary, revoke the certificate. Within the existing system there is also provision to record when contact has been made with the police as a result of a digital marker flag.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the National Police Chiefs Council, the Home Office and the British Medical Association has been in place since 2019. In addition to Home Office 2021 Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police which includes the role of GPs, the British Medical Association issues its own guidance to GPs. We can see from NHS England’s annual national data counts of clinical (SNOMED) coding that GPs are placing the markers and police contact is being made as a result. We understand the Home Office will continue to monitor usage as part of continuing to make the firearms licensing system as robust as it can be.

I hope this response is helpful. Thank you for bringing these concerns to my attention.

Minister of State for Policing and Crime

2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF

Michael Pemberton HM Area Coroner HM Coroner’s Court and Office for Manchester (West) Paderborn House Howell Croft North North Bolton BL1 1QY

March 2026

INQUEST FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF SAMUEL JOHN DICKINSON

REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS UNDER REGULATIONS 28 AND 29 OF THE CORONERS (INVESTIGATIONS) REGULATIONS 2013

I am writing to thank you for your Regulation 28 report of 10 February following the inquest into the death of Samuel John Dickinson. I would like to pass on my condolences to Samuel’s family and friends about this tragic loss of life.

In your report you highlighted two specific concerns relating to perceived gaps in firearms legislation and controls. The first relates to the absence of a specific requirement for a firearms or shotgun licence holder to report the onset of any illness or mental health condition which amounts to a change in circumstances from when the licence was issued.

We recognise this as a potential area for strengthening. We are therefore shortly bringing forward a new Statutory Instrument to add a new condition to firearms and shotgun licences to require the holder to inform the police if they begin to suffer from a new relevant medical condition, or if an existing condition significantly worsens, during the lifetime of the licence. This will enable the police to assess whether the change affects the person’s suitability to continue to possess the firearm or shotgun. At the same time, we will also be introducing a new licensing condition to require the licence holder to inform the police if they consult a third-party medical practitioner who is not their GP, to ensure that the police have a full picture of the licence holder’s health.

Your second concern is that there is no obligation on GPs to record the holding of a firearms or shotgun licence on the holder’s medical records when advised that such a licence has been granted, or on them to report any relevant medical issues to the police.

It is, mandatory for all firearm and shotgun licence applicants to provide information from their doctor about whether they have experienced any relevant medical conditions, including mental health conditions and drug and alcohol abuse, at the time of application. This requirement was introduced in the Statutory Guidance to Chief Officers of Police on firearms licensing, which was first issued by the Home Office in November
2021. GPs are also asked to put a firearms marker on the GP patient record when the

person is granted a firearm or shotgun certificate, and this remains on the system for the five years’ duration of the licence. If a certificate holder sees their GP regarding a relevant medical condition during this period, the doctor can advise the police of this, enabling the police to carry out a review as to whether the person remains suitable to have a licence.

A new digital version of the firearms marker was introduced to all GP surgeries in England in May 2023. The digital firearms marker automatically alerts the doctor if a patient is seen regarding a relevant medical condition and reminds the GP to advise the police. This improves the safety of the system and helps to ensure that the firearms marker is not missed by GPs. The data we have on the use of the digital marker shows that it is now being applied by GPs. In 2024-25, over 98,000 digital markers were applied by GPs to the medical record of those granted or renewed a firearm or shotgun certificate and there were over 1,100 cases in which the GP notified the police of a medical concern about a licence holder, following a review prompted by the digital firearms marker. We are however actively reviewing whether and how the digital firearms marker should be mandated in the future so that we can ensure that we build on the very encouraging use of the digital marker so far by GPs.

We are also intending to consult on strengthening shotgun controls in due course. The Government response to the 2023 consultation on firearms licensing, published in February 2025, included a commitment to consult on improving and aligning the controls on shotguns with other firearms.

Thank you again for your report.

Very best wishes,

Minister of State for Policing and Crime