Firearm fee increase - Response from Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention

[Royal]

So BASC were asking people to email their local MP's to ask them to try and push the government to guarantee the fee increase goes towards firearms certification times etc, as per this post here - Write to your MP on firearms licensing fee increases

So I did, and I got a response. I put it here for you to take a look at, and also passed it through to basc.
I found it interesting that they're wanting to guarantee 4 month turnaround time, and are resourcing areas better.

Thoughts?




Pasting text for those who may want it as well.


Dear Al,
Thank you for your email of 28 January to the Home Office on behalf of your constituents
about the increase in firearms licensing fees. I am replying as the Minister of State for
Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention.

On 15 January 2025, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that
will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms
licensing applications, in line with the Government’s manifesto commitment. The fees
were last increased in 2015 and they are now considerably below the cost of the service
provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that increased fees are
introduced so that service improvements can be made. The new fees came into effect on
5 February 2025.

The need to increase firearms licensing fees to help address shortcomings in firearms
licensing was highlighted by the Senior Coroner in his Preventing Future Deaths reports
into the fatal shootings in Plymouth in August 2021.
The new fees have been calculated using data produced by a 2023 review of police
firearms licensing costs carried out by the Home Office with the National Police Chiefs’
Council (NPCC) and 31 police forces. This has since been updated to reflect increases in
costs since that date.

The NPCC Lead on Firearms Licensing, Deputy Chief Constable David Gardner of
Warwickshire Police, is developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing
teams, which they plan to publish to provide greater transparency on application
turnaround times. This will include a performance target for forces to complete
applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months,
unless there are concerns about the suitability of the applicant. In addition, His Majesty’s
Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services will later this year be
undertaking a thematic inspection of police forces’ arrangements in respect of firearms
licensing.

It is very important that the increased revenue from firearms licensing fees is used to
support improvements in police force firearms licensing teams and I have therefore written
to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the
increased fees must be used for this purpose.
Although the increases in fees are well over 100%, the actual fees remain very modest.
For example, the most common fee category is renewal of a shotgun certificate, which will
increase from £49 every five years to £126. This is far below the cost of a TV licence or
salmon fishing licence, which remain considerably more expensive over a five-year period.
Going forward, our intention is for the Home Office to conduct more regular reviews of
firearms licensing fees in the future, to ensure they keep pace with costs.
I trust this clarifies the Government’s position.
Yours sincerely,
Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP
Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention

 

[User00056]

Interesting that the response focuses more on justifying the cost rather than admitting the failings that led to that idiot Davison having his gun returned to him a bare month after an assault charge. Seems to me that yet again we law-abiding license holders are (literally) paying the price for numerous and repeatedly systemic failures that should be laid plainly at the feet of the forces responsible.

 

[Rory]

I got the same response letter through my MP.

 

[Apthorpe]

I was more annoyed that she claimed to be insisting on the money being used to improve the service while at the same time allowing them to reduce their productivity by 50%.

 

[WW.]

That penultimate paragraph reads very similarly to some comments made on this forum.

 

[Rake Aboot]

What the hell has a tv licence or fishing licence got to do with anything?
What a load of old pish.

 

[Woodenbeam]

What the hell has a tv licence or fishing licence got to do with anything?
What a load of old pish.

Exactly my thoughts………it makes my blood boil when people start comparing apples & pears as justification for pricing.
The continued review of ‘costs’ is the writing on the wall for what’s to come - squeeze, let’s wring a bit more cash outta anyone we can to right all the perceived wrongs of the world

 

[8x57]

I got the same response letter through my MP.

Same here, exactly the same letter forwarded from my M.P.
As my M.P. who is a member of the cabinet by-passed and failed to answer the questions I originally asked of him I shall be following it up in an effort to elicit a response.

 

[finnbear270]

Least some of you got a "Reply"

4 Months

 

[Dave Lakes]

“Going forward, our intention is for the Home Office to conduct more regular reviews of
firearms licensing fees in the future, to ensure they keep pace with costs”

Ah….tremendous news.

 

[angusb1]

"It is very important that the increased revenue from firearms licensing fees is used to
support improvements in police force firearms licensing teams and I have therefore written
to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the
increased fees must be used for this purpose."

I don't know if that necessarily means the fees will be ring-fenced for the purpose of increasing funding to firearms licensing departments though does it, even though she is the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention though? I'm asking here as I genuinely don't know.

 

[Greenmist]

 

[enfieldspares]

You could, the OP and others with a letter mentioning television and fishing licences ask them to ask the Home Office Minister that if they are comparing prices what is the current fee for a "Pedlars Certificate" and when it was last increased. This also is issued by the police force for the area it covers.

How to apply for a pedlar's certificate

Sell door to door or in the street without a stall, eligibility, how to apply, penalties

www.gov.uk

The answer is it is £12.25 and it was last increased in February 1986 from £10.50 to £12.25. The price is set by the Home Office using a Statutory Instrument. Just like firearms fees! The Bank of England "inflation calculator" suggests that only taking account simple inflation that the present cost would be approximately now three times that at £36.04.

You might then ask what assessment has been done on the present cost of issuing such. And which police department usually has responsibility for issuing and keeping records such licences?

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1985/2027/pdfs/uksi_19852027_en.pdf

I've yet to have my reply via my MP so might I please beg those that have had the reply mentioned to follow up with mention of the Pedlars Licence and see what tangles and knots the Minister then ties herself in?