Which event triggered the Cullen Inquiry into firearms licensing and handling?

• A. Dunblane massacre
• B. Hungerford massacre
• C. Stockwell incident
• D. The Cleveland shooting

Answer: (A)

The event that triggered the Cullen Inquiry was the Dunblane massacre in 1996, when a gunman killed 16 schoolchildren and a teacher in Scotland. This horrific tragedy sparked a national outcry over handgun availability and the effectiveness of firearms licensing. In response, the government set up the Cullen Inquiry to investigate how firearms were licensed and handled, and how police and licensing authorities managed gun ownership. The inquiry’s findings led to major reforms in UK gun law, including the ban on private handguns in mainland Britain in 1997. The Hungerford massacre did prompt earlier reforms, but the Cullen Inquiry itself was specifically a response to Dunblane, while the Stockwell incident and the Cleveland shooting are unrelated to this inquiry.