Fees - Guardian Article

[Scully]

Its not asking the doctor to certify you as fit to hold firearms, its asking any concerns )

I know this,but it still isn't clear why you think its a good idea. How can this possibly be effective unless the applicant states to his GP he is having problems?

I also live in a very small rural location but that makes no difference. Your GP is obliged only to give medical facts as they appear on your medical record and not the latest gossip doing the rounds.

If the rozzers are going to base policy decisions on tittle-tattle then we're stuffed.

[HDAV]

 

 

ricmondo dianab

22 April 2014 11:32pm

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they are concerned that a rise in the cost will prohibit many occasional shotgun enthusiasts.

A good reason to raise the licence cost surely.

 

Some sense though

 

 

lrblgr Knowles2

23 April 2014 10:33am

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One interesting point.

Why no questioning as to whether the cost is really the cost and whether or not the cost can be cut.

Cable's on the news again. CEO's can't have pay rises unless they produce results.

How about that for the public sector? You can't increase wages or fees unless you provide a better service?

I can hear the squeals now. ....

[kent]

I know this,but it still isn't clear why you think its a good idea. How can this possibly be effective unless the applicant states to his GP he is having problems?

I also live in a very small rural location but that makes no difference. Your GP is obliged only to give medical facts as they appear on your medical record and not the latest gossip doing the rounds.

If the rozzers are going to base policy decisions on tittle-tattle then we're stuffed.

Its only relivent if the GP says it is its not a catch all. " the man is under treatment for Alcohol addiction", " he has only half a nose from snorting so much coke", whatever . It like saying its not worth checking criminal convictions because some crooks don't get found out. Over and out cant make it more obvious to you

[Scully]

Its only relivent if the GP says it is its not a catch all. " the man is under treatment for Alcohol addiction", " he has only half a nose from snorting so much coke", whatever . It like saying its not worth checking criminal convictions because some crooks don't get found out. Over and out cant make it more obvious to you

I think we're done here; you obviously don't understand how the system works, and haven't grasped the situation.

[kent]

I think we're done here; you obviously don't understand how the system works, and haven't grasped the situation.

 

No I have only been doing it from an 18 year old and a white ticket without a photo etc.

[safc1973]

Read some of the comments at the foot of the article.

 

Priceless and reminds me why all Guardian readers should be harvested for Soylent Green.

 

Not enough meat on them - they're all just scum & bones.

[wymberley]

 

No I have only been doing it from an 18 year old and a white ticket without a photo etc.

Not for very long, then?

[kent]

Not for very long, then?

 

Not as long as some

[Scully]

 

No I have only been doing it from an 18 year old and a white ticket without a photo etc.

Ah, I see. That explains a lot.

[norfolk dumpling]

But why are WE paying so our neighbours can sleep easy at night?? We know 95% of us need no checks at all. We are the most law-abiding sector of the community - this is a fact. My personal view and one that I feel the shooting orgs should take is a licence for life with intervention by the authorities only if we transgress. We should be fighting for a far more relaxed licencing regime.

[MartynGT4]

But why are WE paying so our neighbours can sleep easy at night?? We know 95% of us need no checks at all. We are the most law-abiding sector of the community - this is a fact. My personal view and one that I feel the shooting orgs should take is a licence for life with intervention by the authorities only if we transgress. We should be fighting for a far more relaxed licencing regime.

 

I agree with this but politically we aren't in the strongest of positions given that the number of people against private gun ownership far out weighs those who are for it. Also we don't have the greatest record when it comes to organising ourselves to make our point and feelings heard. So from a politicians point of view, given that they are supposed to serve the wishes of their electorate, any attempt to relax gun laws is viewed as political suicide. We might see that as unfair and perhaps it is but that's democracy or at least this country's interpretation of it.

[Steppenwolf]

I think you are wrong when you say most people are anti-gun. From my experience there are about 10% staunchingly pro gun and 10% anti-gun and 80% of the rest who are neither way but leaning pro-gun in my experience. Once you get them shooting and you demistify guns they quickly join our ranks. Well UKIP said they will relax the gun alws, I guess why would they say that if they thought that they would shoot themselves in the foot? The answer is that not that many people are truly anti-gun. It is a few powerful people supported by NGOs/UN and of course the media, which can give the impression that far more peopel support a thing than you think.

 

We should be campaigning to relax gun laws, or as the person above said, to have things such as a lifetime license, 10 year license, it makes sense since most of us are law abiding and the police don't need to keep doing all these checks.

[OJW]

The irony is that in order to have a firearm you have to be an exemplary member of society, i.e not regually spending friday nights arguing with police or drunk in a police cell. Thus the people applying already have minimal dealings with the police saving the police time and money. Furthermore shooting is expensive, and generates a decent tax bill for the government to then spend on the rest of society, so what if they have to put a bit of that back into shooting? While I accept that it is cheap when you break down the cost over 5 years, I think a rise in "start up costs" could act as a bar for younger people to enter the sport. If that happened then the sport would be doomed. SGC fees, a safe and a first gun can set the new shooter back a fair bit as it is, and all that before he's even bought a cartridge, broken a clay or shot a bird. As for the efficiency of the system, it could be better but the public sector is always over red tapped, however Surrey police were brilliant I have to say. I understand the need for checks with a GP, if they didn't do it and gave a shotgun to someone who was nuts who then did something awful the bad publicity would be damaging for all shotgun owners.

[jimmyb79]

I think there's an underlying issue here. The police, like most departments under government are strapped for cash. If anyone honestly thinks that the increase in fees will go directly into an improved licensing department in their local force, I think they're in for a surprise.

Having had first hand experience in a government department which was supposedly receiving a funding increase, we never saw any difference on the ground.

 

The money will subsidise other areas where funding cuts have taken their toll on the police, and police budgets are still being cut - so realistically, would we see an improvement in service immediately or permanently? I think not.

[kent]

I think there's an underlying issue here. The police, like most departments under government are strapped for cash. If anyone honestly thinks that the increase in fees will go directly into an improved licensing department in their local force, I think they're in for a surprise.

Having had first hand experience in a government department which was supposedly receiving a funding increase, we never saw any difference on the ground.

 

The money will subsidise other areas where funding cuts have taken their toll on the police, and police budgets are still being cut - so realistically, would we see an improvement in service immediately or permanently? I think not.

Very valid point I think the term "ring fenced" should be added and clearly defined fees increase