New firearms consultation the most important in 35 years, says BASC

The Minister for Crime and Policing Chris Philp launched the eight-week consultation on firearms licensing on Thursday (June 29).

Among the proposals is a new statutory power for the police to search a certificate holder’s home enabling immediate seizure of firearms, shotguns and ammunition.

Other proposals include updating the mandatory prohibitions that automatically prevent someone from having a certificate and reviewing the length of time that a certificate is granted, which is currently for five years.

BASC is urging its members to respond so that the shooting community has “a voice in decisions that will have an impact for decades to come”.

BASC director of firearms Bill Harriman said: “This is the most significant and important firearms licensing consultation in 35 years. It is essential that the shooting community respond and feed in their views.

“People must not be silent and think others will do the work for them. The shooting community must respond in numbers. Make sure you have your say.”

BASC said it welcomes many of the proposals announced by the minister, including mandatory involvement of GPs and the review of the length of a certificate.

Mr Harriman said: “While there are many sensible suggestions within the consultation, any proposals must be evidence-led and proven to enhance public safety without disproportionately hindering legitimate shooting activities.

“The focus of any changes to legislation should remain on ensuring that the firearms licensing system is workable and efficient. A high level of service and consistency across the 43 licensing departments in England and Wales is essential.”

He added: “Since news was first announced that this consultation would be coming, BASC has worked tirelessly to engage relevant figures within government so that the shooting community would have a voice on the proposals.

“The minister’s rejection of aligning shotgun and firearms legislation is, therefore, welcome news.

“This proposal would have crippled an already broken licensing service and significantly reduced the opportunity for new entrants to the sport, all without benefit to public safety.

“The announcement today of the allocation of £500,000 to fund police firearms licensing personnel training, and for this training to become mandatory for all police firearms licensing teams, will enhance public safety.”

Mr Harriman said BASC remain committed to working with the police and Home Office to ensure a workable and efficient licensing system to the benefit of its members.

“Our response will focus on ensuring that remains the case. BASC will be producing a wider brief for members as soon as possible,” he added.

This consultation focuses on recommendations made to the Government following a number of fatal shootings, including:

• The Senior Coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon following the inquest into the deaths of those shot and killed by Jake Davison in Keyham on August 12, 2021;
• The Independent Office for Police Conduct following its investigation into Devon and Cornwall Police’s decision-making in relation to the possession of a shotgun and shotgun certificate by Davison; and
• The Scottish Affairs Select Committee following its review of firearms licensing regulations in Scotland, which followed the fatal shooting of John MacKinnon on the Isle of Skye on August 10, 2022.

“The consultation provides questions arising from these recommendations, upon which we would welcome views,” said the Home Office.

“The Government has made no decisions on these questions and recommendations and we will carefully consider all the views received in relation to this consultation.

“Public safety is our priority, but the measures to manage the risk to public safety must be proportionate and balanced with the fact that the vast majority of licensed firearms holders are law abiding and cause no concern.

“Following this consultation, and in light of the responses received, if the Government concludes that legislative changes are necessary we will consult formally on specific legislative proposals accompanied by assessments of the impact of those changes on all those potentially affected.”

Offences involving firearms make up a small proportion of all police recorded crime in England and Wales.

In the year ending December 2022, the police recorded 6,193 offences involving firearms (excluding Devon and Cornwall Police and air weapons). This was a five per cent decrease compared with the pre Covid-19 pandemic year ending March 2020, when there were 6,511 offences, and an 11 per cent increase compared with the year ending December 2021, when there were 5,581 offences.

Firearms offences include offences where a firearm has been fired, or used as blunt instrument, or used as a threat. In Scotland, the most recent published figures are for 2019/20, and in this year, there were 341 firearms offences.

Home Office figures show that as of March 31, 2022, there were 151,218 firearm certificates on issue in England and Wales; 25,345 firearm certificates in Scotland

There were 522,627 shotgun certificates on issue in England and Wales and 44,503 shotgun certificates in Scotland.

In total, there were 539,212 people who held a firearm and/or a shotgun certificate in England and Wales.

In the year ending March 31, 2022, 385 firearms certificates were revoked in England and Wales, compared with 306 in the previous year. In the same period, 1,075 shotgun certificates were revoked compared with 982 in the previous year.

In Scotland during the same period, 61 firearms certificates and 89 shotgun certificates were revoked.