BASC campaign against age restrictions for airgun use

[Conor O'Gorman]

BASC has launched a campaign to raise awareness and lobby against a Home Office proposal that will see 14 to 17 year-olds lose the ability to use airguns unsupervised on private premises.

The proposal within the Home Office’s firearms safety consultation will remove this vital exception within the law in a move that will impact thousands of young shots.

The proposal will see teenagers only being able to undertake pest control or target practice when in the presence of someone over the age of 21.

For more information and to get involved visit the following webpage:

Airguns campaign - The British Association for Shooting and Conservation

Airguns Support BASC’s campaign to ensure 14 to 17-year-olds can continue to use airguns unsupervised as is currently allowed under the Firearms Act 1968 The Issue The Home Office firearms safety consultation, launched in November 2020, makes a range of proposals regarding storing and using...

basc.org.uk

 

[Greenmist]

Well done, @Conor O'Gorman , will you also start a campaign to stop shooters being held to ransom with medical fees please. (Please don't pass the request onto your colleagues, can you not start the ball rolling?)

 

[cjm1066]

Regardless of your views on BASC, can everyone support this please?

 

[L1A1]

Done

 

[Roestalker39]

Surely it’ll not matter when we’re all lead free anyway ? The air gunners and rimfire shooters will be the ones to suffer , not that many are smart enough to realise that

 

[Jgray]

Done

 

[kes]

I have already responded to this consultation quite a while ago.
I dont agree with BASC's position on this (what's new) and in following the links above, I just get BASC information, introducing non-members to BASC?
It might have been helpful just to provide a direct link to the consultation.

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

The proposal to restrict the use of airguns for 14-17-year-olds does not appear to be evidence-led.

The answer to the written question below, tabled by Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (chair of BASC’s Shooting and Conservation All Party Parliamentary Group), appears to confirm that the proposal is not evidence-led.

Question:
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Conservative, The Cotswolds Commons.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many breaches of the law have occurred as a result of a person between the ages of 14 and 17 using an airgun unsupervised on private land with the permission of the owner over the last 14 years.

Answer:
Kit Malthouse, Conservative, North West Hampshire Commons.
The requested information is not held centrally.

See:

Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.

questions-statements.parliament.uk

 

[kes]

Nice try; (chair of BASC’s Shooting and Conservation All Party Parliamentary Group);
Mark Avery has a different title; The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Shooting (and Conservation – ho! ho!)

However the title of the group is The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Shooting and Conservation. Unless BASC is claiming it pays these MP's or they are in some other way in thrall to them ?

The best description of the above statement that I can offer is absolute ********. Some simple-minded folk may however take this and swallow it - I'm sure thats the hope.

 

[Roestalker39]

Nice try; (chair of BASC’s Shooting and Conservation All Party Parliamentary Group);
Mark Avery has a different title; The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Shooting (and Conservation – ho! ho!)

However the title of the group is The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Shooting and Conservation. Unless BASC is claiming it pays these MP's or they are in some other way in thrall to them ?

The best description of the above statement that I can offer is absolute ********. Some simple-minded folk may however take this and swallow it - I'm sure thats the hope.

Sadly kes the simple minded seem to be in the majority

 

[Woodsmoke]

Because BASC did SO well in campaigning against the Scottish air rifle legislation. I think they have a bloody cheek even venturing onto this forum, to be honest. Absolute brass neck

 

[muddy42]

Put the knives down, just remember the many formative hours you spent with an air rifle as an unsupervised 14-17 year old, then support.

 

[Roestalker39]

Put the knives down, just remember the many formative hours you spent with an air rifle as an unsupervised 14-17 year old, then support.

Just like basc have supported us

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

The Home Office online survey closes on 16 February 2021 so do make sure you have your say on at least this issue even if you have nothing to say on the other proposals. Please answer “strongly disagree” as your multiple choice answer to Q.6 in the survey.

Click on link below to complete the 5 minutes survey:

Firearms Safety Consultation

Please take a few minutes to take our survey.

www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk

Links below for info on how BASC has been working with the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs to raise wider awareness.

Rural organisations speak out over proposal to restrict airgun use for youngsters

The government has significantly underestimated the impact this proposal will have on our members and those teenagers undertaking pest control.

basc.org.uk

Farmers criticise plan to restrict airguns for under 18s

Rural groups have spoken out against the government's proposal to restrict airgun use for young farmers and gamekeepers under the age of 18.

www.farminguk.com

 

[andyk]

Come on chaps! We (as a group) have a habit of criticising BASC for being too willing to compromise and accept some regulation in place of more. On this occasion they aren't compromising yet we're still having a go.

Anyway, whatever your view of BASC, fill in the consultation and tell the Govt what you think!

As to suggesting Conor shouldn't come on here. Come on, I doubt he enjoys the flack (and occasionally personal insults) but he persists and engages. Personally, I think you have to have some respect for that.

 

[Jgray]

Come on chaps! We (as a group) have a habit of criticising BASC for being too willing to compromise and accept some regulation in place of more. On this occasion they aren't compromising yet we're still having a go.

Anyway, whatever your view of BASC, fill in the consultation and tell the Govt what you think!

As to suggesting Conor shouldn't come on here. Come on, I doubt he enjoys the flack (and occasionally personal insults) but he persists and engages. Personally, I think you have to have some respect for that.

Well said Andyk

 

[kes]

I filled this in some time ago without any external encouragement, as I do all shooting legislation related questionnaires.
To have it claimed though that an all-party group in Parliament is " BASC's" is stupid or reprehensible or more probably both - so I have done my bit there as well.

 

[kes]

Murray 50, you seem to use the emoji to mock - I presume therefore you think it correct that BASC should claim ownership of the All-Party Parliamentary Committee ?
Or are you just a paid -up supporter of an ineffective " Voice of Shooting" and trying to redeem your credibility ?

 

[Jgray]

Murray 50, you seem to use the emoji to mock - I presume therefore you think it correct that BASC should claim ownership of the All-Party Parliamentary Committee ?
Or are you just a paid -up supporter of an ineffective " Voice of Shooting" and trying to redeem your credibility ?

Sorry I will remove it, didn’t mean to mock you.

 

[kes]

Sorry I will remove it, didn’t mean to mock you.

No apologies necessary except perhaps from me - I am becoming used to Caberfeldh who is exceptional at it.