Written Question·Home Office·UIN 92304
Weapons: Self-defence
Tabled: 18 November 2025
Answered: 28 November 2025
Question
James Wild
Conservative — North West Norfolk
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of permitting self-defence weapons on personal safety.
Answer
Sarah JonesThe Government has no plans to permit the possession or use of currently prohibited weapons, such as pepper sprays or tasers, for self-defence purposes. Pepper sprays and tasers are prohibited under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968.
The Government considers that increased availability of such items potentially increases the risk of them being used by violent criminals, alongside a risk that they may be used inappropriately or irresponsibly in a variety of different circumstances, increasing the risk of serious injuries.