Royal Mail firearms ban suspicious says BASC

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By Will Finch

Tuesday, 04 September 2012

Further details have emerged of plans by the Royal Mail to ban the carriage of firearms and component parts following our exclusive story earlier this month (News, 8 August).

Royal Mail says the proposals, which are outlined in a consultation document published on 15 August, are necessary to comply with legislation.

But BASC points out that the consultation document mentions accessories, such as magazines, fastenings and triggers - which are not regulated by firearms legislation - and a ban on their transportation would have a significant impact on thousands of shooters who live in the countryside.

BASC also dismissed Royal Mail’s claims that a dedicated handling system would have to be set up to provide safe custody of guns as “flawed, legally incorrect and not evidence-led”.

BASC’s director of firearms, Bill Harriman, said: “This is a solution to a problem that does not exist. Without any evidence and having gone through this process in 2005, when it was knocked on the head by the regulator, one wonders why Royal Mail is doing it again.”