Christopher Graffius

You will find the questions by looking here: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2Clords&member=114&dept=1&keywords=firearms In keywords, put "firearms", under "members", put Sir Mike Penning, Shrewsbury and Loughton, under "for answer by" put Home Office. That will give you the questions I referred to.

An explanation of Council's decision has already been given on this thread, the magazine and the website. If you have further questions please send them in to BASC and they will be answered. By the way, I know nobody at BASC who drives a Range Rover. My cars as an Executive Director have been Skodas and Toyotas.

On what facts do you base this post? Hansard records 45 parliamentary questions in the last year about medical involvement in firearms licensing covering both Lords and Commons. There are more in previous years. I have been consulted on the drafting of the majority of them. There has also been widespread coverage in the shooting magazines and online of BASC involvement in meetings at Westminster and Whitehall, not to mention evidence sessions, correspondence and consultation responses on firearms legislation reform and simplification. Rants are all very well - but the truth should not be forgotten.

Thanks NB - BASC is familiar with these reports and has investigated them over the years but we have not been able to stand them up for lack of hard evidence. If you - or anyone else - has any hard evidence as opposed to anecdote I'd be really interested in seeing it and acting on it.

If anyone has any hard evidence of this practice - such as photos of foxes that have obviously been treated and then released - or any other hard evidence, I would be very interested in seeing it. You can email me at christopher.graffius@basc.org.uk .

Complimentary admission to the Game Fair for the next three years The Game Fair, the UK’s premier country sports event, is offering COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION to all BASC members for every day of the fairs for the next three years. The next Game Fair, which will celebrate its Diamond Jubilee, will be held at Ragley Hall from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 July. Even better, BASC members will be able to purchase advance guest tickets at a discount! To gain entry to the Fair, all you need to do is produce your current BASC membership card, a ticket (which will be included in the July/August issue of Shooting and Conservation magazine), along with photo ID such as a shotgun or firearms certificate, driving licence or passport. To ensure you receive Shooting and Conservation magazines and Fast Track emails from BASC, please log in to the Members Area of the BASC website and check the appropriate boxes under Periodicals and Mailing Preferences. To log in you will need your email address or membership number, and a password. You will need to set up a password through the website if you have not previously done so. Last year 28,000 BASC members and their guests received complimentary admission to the Game Fair at Hatfield House and more are expected at Ragley for 2018. Ragley Hall is two miles south west of Alcester and eight miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, just off the A435/A46. So, make a note in your diary now…and check The Game Fair's website where further details will be published.

Just released this afternoon: Met Police data breach compromises firearms security, says BASC BASC has asked the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to clarify the legal basis for passing on addresses of its 30,000 firearm and shotgun certificate holders to external contractors. The Met has confirmed it used Leeds-based company Corporate Document Services (CDS) to print leaflets advising certificate holders of a scheme to buy a product called Smartwater to forensically mark their guns. BASC, the UK’s largest shooting organisation, understands CDS in turn sub-contracted distribution of these leaflets to Yes Direct Mail, who are also based in Leeds. In its letter to Met Commissioner Cressida ****, BASC has outlined concerns that the home security of certificate holders in London has been compromised by out-sourcing distribution of the leaflets. The association has also asked the Met to clarify the legal authority to support an apparent breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 and wider guidelines surrounding privacy and marketing. The data protection statement that both police and certificate holders agree to when an application is made only appears to give police permission to share personal details with GPs, other government departments, regulatory bodies or enforcement agencies. It does not cover commercial companies, even if they are approved by the police and hold security accreditation. In addition, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) - the UK’s independent authority for promoting data privacy - says prior consent must be obtained for direct marketing and this process places a number of obligations on organisations and companies. The ICO says individuals should be allowed to opt in or out of direct marketing, while companies and organisations should specify methods of communication, ask for consent to pass details to third parties or clearly name and describe those third parties and also record when and how consent was received and exactly what it covers. The ICO guidance also places the onus on companies to check whether an individual has subscribed to a preference service before it contacts them with marketing information. Bill Harriman, BASC’s director of firearms, said: “BASC will always work with the authorities on initiatives we consider will improve firearms security. “In this instance, however, we are seeking assurances from the Metropolitan Police that the manner in which this scheme has been rolled out has not actually put at risk the home security of firearms and shotgun certificate holders. We are concerned that each time that information is passed on, it heightens the risk that sensitive, personal data will be compromised. “Further, we can see no legal authority which allows the Met to breach the Data Protection Act by passing on sensitive, confidential information to as many as three external companies. “The Met appears to have struck at the heart of a key tenet of firearms security, that which comes from obscurity. Those who shoot are told at every turn by the police to take every precaution against strangers discovering where firearms may be stored. Such information is currency for criminals. “BASC is treating this as a potentially serious breach of trust by the Met. We do not believe certificate holders have given their permission for their sensitive, personal information to be passed to third parties. “BASC remains pleased to be a member of and a significant contributor to the Metropolitan Police Firearms Licensing Independent Advisory Group and we note the force has made significant strides forward in recent years in so far as improving its service to certificate holders. We are sorry that the manner in which the force has tried to implement their Smartwater initiative risks undermining the Met’s reputation in the shooting community.” ENDS

BASC has issued the press release below this morning. David or I will let the forum know when the election website is launched. This is an opportunity to build support for shooting at Westminster. Christopher BASC will highlight value of shooting ahead of General Election BASC will work to ensure General Election candidates understand the value of shooting to the UK economy. The UK’s largest shooting organisation, with 148,000 members, will relaunch its dedicated General Election campaign website to allow members and those who shoot to contact their local election candidate. The website will allow people to see candidates’ views on shooting and to email candidates to establish their position if they have not recorded one. It will also enable people to promote shooting to candidates and to invite them to find out more. BASC chairman Peter Glenser said: “Prospective MPs need to know that shooting is a force for good for the economy, for conservation and for social wellbeing. “This website will allow us to make sure shooting’s voice is heard in Westminster. Candidates will be left in no doubt that shooting matters to their constituents and it will provide is with a good indication of where MPs stand in the next parliament. “Shooting generates £2 billion for the economy every year and generates 3.9 million work days on conservation. It also supports the equivalent of 74,000 full-time jobs. BASC will make the resources available to ensure that shooting’s voice is heard.” The Value of Shooting report is available here: http://www.shootingfacts.co.uk/pdf/The-Value-of-Shooting-2014.pdf. ENDS

BASC has been working closely with Essex Police to address the backlog of applications and delays. Following a meeting with the licensing team in November, Essex Police agreed to implement a new renewal process for shotgun and firearms certificate holders. Once Essex Police have undertaken the relevant background checks, and are satisfied that there are no relevant medical issues declared by the applicant, then a renewed certificate will be issued. This system will only be used in cases where the result of a risk assessment is positive. Otherwise a visit from a Firearms Enquiry Officer will be required. However this will only occur in a minority of cases. The change in procedure, which took effect from 1st January 2017, means that the Firearms Licensing Department should no longer need to issue temporary permits as a matter of course. This will considerably reduce the bureaucracy and free up resources to tackle the backlog. This will improve efficiency and the service Essex Police provides to those who shoot. BASC will continues to assist Essex Police in implementing best practice. A further meeting is scheduled to take place next week. Christopher

We've asked the question and been told by The Game Fair - "The text facility is charged to National Game Fair Ltd and the cost is picked up by us. The purpose of this registration is to primarily act as a guide for uptake of the offer."

I understand that you can purchase guest tickets for £20 in advance and £27 on the gate. If you're going for more than one day it might be worth taking out joint BASC membership at £126.

The idea of clubs and syndicates organising a minibus/coach could be worth considering to take advantage of complimentary admission - and the latter could make a difference when securing interest and buy-in.

My understanding is that The Game Fair will alternate between Hatfield and Ragley in Warwickshire for the next five years.

From the press release: James Gower, managing director of The Game Fair, said: “The complimentary offer is open to BASC members on each and every day of The Game Fair, so a member can visit on all three days if they wish. “BASC is the UK’s largest shooting organisation, so this offer has the potential to attract record numbers of visitors to the event. We are excited that in 2017 The Game Fair will be bigger and better than ever, with a focus on shooting’s positive role in the countryside. “As the new custodians of The Game Fair, we are keen to see the much-loved event reconnect with its core audience. The gun trade told us they wanted more people who shoot at the event, so we acted. Plus we were keen to not only give something back to our loyal supporters but also entice new visitors.”

Yes, there is still a closed season for Canada geese. You cannot shoot them during this period because they may be tasty to eat. If shooting them as a pest you must do so for the reasons set out in the general licence - such a protecting public health. Not to do so risks prosecution. See here: http://basc.org.uk/shooting/general-licences/ . Christopher

In David's absence I've posted the BASC response below. This has been added to the Shooting Times story on their website. BASC statement on lead ammunition ban report Speaking in response to a report that suggests that the Lead Ammunition Group will back a lead shot ban, the Chairman of BASC, Alan Jarrett said: “To our best knowledge no report has been seen or approved by the Lead Ammunition Group. BASC’s policy on lead ammunition is clear – “no sound evidence no change”. We have not seen any evidence to change that policy. It would be wrong to do so on the basis of unattributed and partly redacted emails relating to a report that has not been published and hasn’t actually been delivered to the government.” ENDS

I have spoken to the Danish Hunting Association which supported the ban. The argument was that the metal mixture caused cancer in rats - though there is the possibility that the evidence was misinterpreted and that the same mixture is not used in loads used in Britain. The Danish Association also surveyed their members and found that only a very small minority of shooters used tungsten. There is no suggestion that this ban will be extended within Europe. With regard to LAG, the minutes show that the vast over-estimates on cartridge to kill ratios and pellets in the cartridge were put forward by the WWT and RSPB people and challenged by the shooting representatives on LAG. It would be extraordinary, given the number of people on LAG who are aware of the true figures, if such exaggerations appeared in any final report or are used to underpin any recommendations. Christopher

If you go to the drop down menu bar and select "media", then select "Shooting and Conservation" from the drop down menu. This takes you to the S&C page where you have to login as a BASC member to see the current edition. Once logged in there is a tab on the left labelled "archive" that takes you to past editions. Hope this helps Christopher

From my perspective as the person responsible for BASC's political work It's a good letter and I wouldn't worry too much about the detail. It's important that the Labour front team receive comments from shooters giving their perceptions - politely - of what's happening, otherwise they'll only hear from the antis. The amendments to the Anti Social Crime and Policing Bill were drafted some time ago and first debated during the Bill's committee stage. After many requests for a meeting I saw Diana Johnston and briefed her but they were reluctant to pull the amendments at a late stage. Their re-tabling for the Bill's Report Stage has more to do with the parliamentary role of the Opposition than practical legislation. They knew that the amendments would be defeated. I saw Diana Johnson and her number 2 from the shadow team at the Labour conference and went through the details of the licensing system again. We've also given them written submissions on each of the amendments. In brief the amendment on domestic violence would have had no effect - checks are already in place for this 24/7. The amendment on full cost recovery ignores the regulations introduced by the last Labour Government and published in Treasury guidelines (Managing Public Money, and Class 20.10) that the licence fee is effectively a tax and the State can't charge for enforcement, defined by Hampton as form filling and inspection, or capital costs (ecommerce). Should Labour get into government they would have to moderate their line in the light of civil service advice and the responsibility of complying with the rules. Johnston made a point during the debate of stressing Labour's support for shooting, as she did at the Labour conference "the future of shooting and fishing is assured under a future Labour government". We have much more work to do with them but the lines of communication are open. This debate taken in isolation does not give the whole picture. For completeness we have also stopped the Home Office's attempt to force through an immediate increase in licensing fees on a full cost recovery basis and are now engaged with a government working group which is looking into the whole question of fees. Christopher

Please sign ... This is an essential step in encouraging and proving compliance with the law - a healthy response will strengthen our arms in opposing a ban. Please pass this link on to your shooting contacts and ask them to pass it on to theirs. Many thanks Christopher

Please be aware of the new code of practice on hare management that was issued in March. You can find a copy on the BASC website here: http://www.basc.org.uk/en/media/pressreleases.cfm/prid/180CE492-8856-4938-9FC93D106B8EEE2E This code was produced at the request of the government and was compiled by BASC, the CA, the CLA, NGO, Moorland Association, Tenant Farmer's Association and the GWCT. Christopher

Many thanks, Poontang, that's useful information which I shall file for future use. Christopher

I have been in touch with the lady, who has, in the past, spoken to BASC employees about her problem at various Game Fairs. We have offered to try to help -and have done so again in response to the postcards- but the lady refuses to identify where she lives or the shoot that has been bothering her. There are options through the the Committee of the Code for Good Shooting Practice for addressing problems such as this. The lady has confirmed that she has more reservations about shooting sports. It's clear that she is, or has access to a talented designer and that she also has access to considerable information on shooting sports. Given that she doesn't wish to press a complaint I would be cautious about engaging with her. My take on this is that no one should impose their culture on anyone else - and that includes homeowners imposing their views on those who own neighbouring properties. There is also a test of reasonableness but without the details it's impossible to assess the merits of her complaint or seek to achieve a solution. I would not be surprised to see this go wider in the future so it's important not to offer any hostages for the future. Christopher

Have just spoken to Linda Belgrove and her agent. I checked our outgoing emails and let them know that we had emailed Linda on the 11th October, confirmed it was the correct email address and found that our system said it had not been opened. They were throroughly pleasant to deal with and I note that Linda Belgrove now has two ticks on the BASC website. Christopher

BASC is in the process of contacting and meeting all MPs who have signed this motion to explain why LACS is wrong. There were two meetings at the Commons yesterday where we answered the MPs' concerns and both confirmed at the end that they support shooting. Previous meetings have resulted in MPs who have signed the motion visiting shoots, taking up invitations to try clay shooting and one will be attending a shoot day, others have expressed an interest in taking up the sport. Often, getting the first meeting is the difficult part - and we can really use your help here. An MP won't refuse a request for a meeting from a constituent. We would be happy to attend any meeting in any constituency if you wish us to be there. A request from a constituent can often secure us a meeting in parliament. This is important work to keep those who are against the sport a small minority in parliament and to inform those who don't necessarily know much about shooting sports and may have been taken in by anti propaganda. Please contact me direct christopher.graffius@basc.org.uk if you would like us to meet your MP. Christopher