Minister says action is being taken wisely

THE families of the victims of the Keyham shootings have voiced concerns at the Government's rejections of the Plymouth coroner's recommendations made following the inquest into the tragedy.

- CLARE AINSWORTH

 

Speaking on their behalf in Parliament earlier this week, Luke Pollard, the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, called on Home Office Minister Chris Philp to further explain his response to the coroner's report.

Mr Pollard said: "Last week, the Government rejected a number of recommendations from the inquest into the tragic mass shooting in Plymouth in 2021, which has caused serious concern among some of the families of the victims. Will the Minister explain why he rejected the coroner's recommendations and whether all those on which he is consulting will be implemented by the end of this calendar year?"

In response, Mr Philp denied the Government was not taking action and said there would be "open and honest" consultation on the coroner's recommendations.

Mr Philp said: "We have committed to doing some things straight away. For example, the National Police Chiefs' Council has been funded to set up an accredited training programme for firearms officers-that was one of the recommendations. In due course, that will become mandatory.

"The inspectorate will conduct a thematic inspection of all firearms licensing next year. As I said to the House a few months ago, I asked it specifically to reinspect Devon and Cornwall's firearms licensing. It is doing that and it should report back by the end of July. The vast majority of the recommendations made by the coroner, the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the Scottish Affairs Committee in connection with the Isle of Skye shooting are being openly and neutrally consulted on.