10 year License

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[FONT=&amp]BASC submits proposal for ten-year shotgun and firearm certificates[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]27[SUP]th[/SUP] November 2013……………………………………………………………………immediate release.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]Shotgun and firearm certificates should be valid for ten years, rather than the current five, in order to improve enforcement, boost public safety and cut the administrative burden and cost for police forces, according to the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]BASC has made a formal proposal on the issue to the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as part of its “focus on enforcement” initiative.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]Richard Ali, BASC chief executive, said: “Extending the life of a firearm certificate from five to ten years would reduce the administrative and cost burden on the police, allowing them to better target their resources and result in improved protection of public safety.” [/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]“The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) argued for the extension of a certificate from three to five years. This was introduced in 1995, on the basis that it would improve public safety while reducing bureaucracy. Extending a certificate to ten years would allow the police to focus on checking on potential problem cases rather than being caught in an endless whirl of bureaucracy”[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]“There have been significant advances in police databases, intelligence and reporting since certificate life was extended from three years to five. The police now receive notification of any individual certificate holder who comes to their attention and can quickly act to revoke a certificate or remove firearms as necessary.” [/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]“BASC is uniquely placed to offer an opinion on the management of firearms licensing across the UK. We have the regulatory expertise and the only full-time firearms department offering advice to certificate applicants and holders. We currently deal with some 500 calls every month.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]“Certificate holders have to be law-abiding people and the overwhelming majority of certificates are regularly renewed. Less than 1% of certificates are revoked each year and there are almost 800,000 certificates on issue in England, Scotland and Wales.” [/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]“Firearms licensing must do two things. It must protect public safety and also allow the continued lawful use of firearms. Shooting is integral to life in Britain. It is essential to conservation. People who shoot spend a quarter of a million pounds from their own pockets every year on conservation work. Shooting brings income to local economies and contributes to food safety and security by protecting crops and livestock from pests and predators.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]“It is vital that the administration of the licensing system is managed properly, that police costs are kept down and that no excessive financial burden is placed on individual certificate holders.”[/FONT]
 
This proposition may actually be well received by the licensing authorities.
Less red tape and beurocracy means faster more efficient renewals for us and a potential
cost saving for the Old Bill.

We'll done BASC
 
No reason why SGC/FAC could not be issued for an even longer period of time, once the checks are done, issue the certificate and you keep it until either you choose to give it up or you default on the conditions of issue.

However, one step at a time.

Well done BASC.
 
I wonder if they will extend your current licence or if this would come into
effect upon renewal
 
To simply extend makes good sense.

atb Tim
i agree to simply look up the date on your licence and extend it and send a new amended cert through the post would be great but I think it's more likely they will raise the cost of the cert and do it on renewal so as not to miss out on extra revenue
 
If it happens I hope it goes through now as I am doing my renewal now, expires end of jan 2014, all done bar photos, seriously I am not sure if its good idea or not, it isnt much of a hardship to do it every 5 years
 
The fly in the ointment may be that the relevant forces want to ensure that certificate holders continue to have good reason to possess their firearms more frequently than a decade. At present they can do this every five years.

But if changed, then it's possible that, for example, someone gets authority to have rifles to shoot on a particular piece of land, then a month later they lose their permission and then have firearms for the next ten years with no use for them and nowhere to fire them. Obviously this doesn't apply to shotgun certs.

The perceived advantages would in my opinion have to be seen to outweigh this. I think they would, but would the government? It would certainly make the onerous task of renewal half as onerous!

However, I doubt, in this economic climate, any savings would go on better investigating of dodgy firearms applicants or holders. For one, police forces are being squeezed to save big chunks of their budget, so any savings would go there and for two, no police force is going to say that they don't investigate dodgy certificate holders properly now.

I think it's a brilliant idea by BASC and shows how in recent times, they are being much more innovative. I hope it comes to pass.
 
If it happens I hope it goes through now as I am doing my renewal now, expires end of jan 2014, all done bar photos, seriously I am not sure if its good idea or not, it isnt much of a hardship to do it every 5 years
Same here. My photos from the machine in Sainburys tonight are dog ugly....
 
My understanding of this is that submission = rubber stamp exercise.

Excellent work by BASC.
 
This proposal has been put forward by BASC several times before and has been rejected by H.O./ACPO for several reasons. Why has it suddenly been proposed again or is this old news that someone has only just picked up on?
 
Well done BASC..
I would support this as it would help keep the cost of SGC's and FAC's down.
It would also create a lot less hassle for the police as they wouldn't have to re-issue every 5 years.
I just wish they could allow dealers to do a one-for-one variation on rifles over the shop counter. It would save filling out a 4 page form every time I want to change something on my FAC.. I know it happens in N.Ireland..
 
Good Idea . Why cant a one for one like for like be done over the counter at the gun shop with a rifle. This would save a good percentage of free variations and all the paperwork that goes with it. All licences would be filled in at the R F D s and the the relevant form sent to the police. You still end up with one rifle of the same calibre on your ticket. Not only cut out a load of paperwok but would help to keep the gun trade moving.
Well done BASC..
I would support this as it would help keep the cost of SGC's and FAC's down.
It would also create a lot less hassle for the police as they wouldn't have to re-issue every 5 years.
I just wish they could allow dealers to do a one-for-one variation on rifles over the shop counter. It would save filling out a 4 page form every time I want to change something on my FAC.. I know it happens in N.Ireland..
 
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