Fee hike could ‘put guns in hands of the wrong people’ 

The Government’s justification for an increase in firearms licensing fees is “bogus”, BASC has warned, after only 16% of police and crime commissioners (PCCs) committed to improving firearms licensing. 

BASC wrote to all the PCCs and chief constables in England and Wales ahead of the new legislation coming into effect on 5 February, asking for assurances that additional funds raised would be used to resource firearms licensing departments. However, only seven of the 42 constabularies committed to guaranteeing the funds would go towards improving firearms licensing. 

Christopher Graffius, BASC’s executive director of communications and public affairs, said: “The Government’s justification for the increase is that the extra funds raised will go to support the work of firearms licensing departments, although it has no powers to ensure this happens. 

“If they cannot guarantee the money from fee increases will improve the system, the reasoning for a hike in firearms fees is bogus. People will be paying more for a service that continues to be inefficient. Inefficient licensing puts guns in the hands of the wrong people; it puts public safety at risk.” 

BASC has condemned the Government’s decision to increase licensing fees by an average of 133% without fixing the inefficiencies in the current system