BASC warns against fee increase without licensing reform

BASC has called for an urgent meeting with the Policing Minister following the Home Office’s announcement of plans to increase firearms licensing fees.

In a letter to the organisation, the Home Office outlined the government’s intention to introduce a statutory instrument to raise fees to achieve full-cost recovery for police forces, referencing a Written Ministerial Statement issued in Parliament earlier this week.

BASC’s executive director of communications and public affairs, Christopher Graffius, said: “BASC has an urgent request in to the Home Office to meet the Policing Minister to discuss fees.

“It would be outrageous for fees to be increased while firearms licensing remains a postcode lottery across large parts of the country and there has been no stakeholder consultation or transparency on the figures.

“Inefficient licensing departments do not protect public safety. The Minister would be well advised to deal with inefficiency before increasing fees or risk this government alienating yet another constituency.”

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