2024 - the big issues ahead for shooting

[Conor O'Gorman]

Click the link below for an update on some of the battles ahead for BASC and how we can all get more involved in the political fight to protect and promote shooting this year.

https://basc.org.uk/the-big-issues-ahead/
 

[Genghis]

What decision are you expecting the Home Office to come to regarding the firearms consultation?

[Conor O'Gorman]

5 hours ago, Genghis said:

What decision are you expecting the Home Office to come to regarding the firearms consultation?

 

We don't know but in addition to addressing the consultation proposals BASC made the following points/recommendations:

• BASC reminds the Minister that he has undertaken to remove sound moderators from the licensing system and suggests that any change in legislation arising from this consultation would be an ideal opportunity to undertake that.
   
• BASC recommends that those Chief Officers who do not run efficient FELUs should be subject to financial penalties. This should be tied into mandatory service level agreements. BASC defines an efficient force as one that completes all renewal applications received eight weeks prior to expire before the certificate expires. Also, more than 95% of grant applications would be processed within sixteen weeks.
   
• BASC endorses the remarks made by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Andy Cooke QPM DL, that the Chief Inspector should have the ability to give directions, rather than recommendations, to police forces where an inspection identifies a failing that poses a significant risk to public safety (Page 32 of “State of Policing in England and Wales 2022, published June 2023). This is particularly apposite where firearms licensing is concerned.
   
• BASC believes that there should be a Firearms Licensing Regulator, akin to the Forensic Science Regulator, with statutory powers to compel Chief Officers to adopt best practice and correct any failings in their FELUs.
   
• BASC reminds the Minister of the Law Commission’s recommendation (December 2015) that firearms legislation should be codified in order to bring clarity and to facilitate understanding. BASC endorses this.
   
• Currently, there is no legal avenue to challenge the conditions placed on a Firearm Certificate by a Chief Officer. This leads to some forces imposing their own arbitrarily derived conditions to limit or effectively prohibit the use of a certificated firearm. There should be an explicit legal right to appeal these discretionary conditions by a person aggrieved by them.