The application procedures for both firearm and shotgun certifications are about to be changed and replaced with one form covering both applications, from early December, making both applications a lot simpler.
Both the Countryside Alliance and The British Association for Shooting and Conservation have welcomed the changes. Country Alliance’s Executive Chairman, Barney White-Spunny, said: ‘The Government and police are to be commended for the work they have done, in collaboration with the shooting community, in making these changes and bringing them to fruition’, essentially removing a lot of the red tape when applying for firearm and shotgun certificates. BASC’s senior firearms officer Mike Eveleigh said: ‘The UK has some of the toughest gun laws in the world. Those laws must do two things; protect public safety and also allow the continued lawful use of firearms. These changes will remove several layers of unnecessary bureaucracy and make the initial form-filling simpler and easier to understand.’
The new forms also remove limits on how much ammunition can be bought at one time, furthermore reducing the bureaucracy around shotgun and firearm law, although not reduced how much a person can legally possess. Country Alliance Executive Chairman commented: ‘There is still work to be done in updating firearms licensing practice and guidance to both improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.’
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