Firearms Control - Home Affairs Committee Contents


Supplementary memoranda submitted by the British Shooting Sports Council

  1.  Despite promises of assistance with regard to foreign teams competing in the 2012 Olympics, which requires the issuing of Home Office Section 5 Prohibited Weapon Authorities to their pistol shooters, we are already getting overseas teams wanting to train in the UK (as is usual and expected in the run-up to the Games) and our organisers are having to tell them that they cannot bring cartridge pistol shooters to train. This is against the Olympic ethos and it is not going down well.

  2.  The 1968 Act as amended requires EU citizens who wish to bring firearms or shotguns to Britain for the purposes of hunting or target shooting to obtain a British Visitor's Permit in addition to their European Firearms Pass. The EFP is supposed to facilitate the movement of legitimate sportsmen with their firearms within the EU. No other EU state (except I think the Republic of Ireland) requires anything other than an EFP. The EFP system works well, is not seen as problematical, and, so far as we are aware, a Visitors Permit for a firearm has never been refused to an EFP holder. To make matters worse, our Firearms Act requires that the EU citizen submits his EFP with his application. This is like taking his passport away, in that he cannot travel within the EU to pursue his sport until he gets it back. This requirement puts EU citizens at a disadvantage compared to non EU residents. It is a great inconvenience to those often top-flight shooters of impeccable character who travel in Europe to many International matches. At the least, the law should be amended to permit the submission of a photocopy. Preferably the EFP should be accepted as sufficient authority, as it is elsewhere.

  3.  The BSSC would strongly support the return of the Firearms Consultative Committee in its original statutory form established by the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988, rather than the more broadly-based non-statutory Firearms Advisory Council proposed in the 2004 Home Office Consultation Paper "Controls on Firearms", but never implemented. The FCC proved its considerable value in providing a forum for working out the correct application of legislation, particularly new legislation.

  4.  Figures for accidents are provided by the Royal Society for the Prevention of accidents, those for 2000-02 being available on line.

ROSPA FIGURES FOR ACCIDENTS CAUSING A SERIOUS ENOUGH INJURY TO WARRANT A VISIT TO HOSPITAL
20002001 2002
Air gun or pistol1490 13571312
Rifle*639625 718
Shotgun17789 164
Cotton wool bud5854 68198938
*The disparity between the figures for injuries involving shotguns and the relatively less common rifles might indicate that injuries caused by air rifles were included in this category.

CRITERIA FOR HOME OFFICE APPROVAL OF A RIFLE OR MUZZLE-LOADING PISTOL CLUB

  The following criteria must be satisfied before a club can be granted approval. Once granted, the same criteria become conditions of continued approval, which can be withdrawn if a club, at any time, fails to meet these conditions.

    — The club is a genuine target shooting club with a written constitution.

    — The principal officers of the club are responsible people who can be entrusted with the proper administration of the club.

    — The club has at least ten (10) members at the time of application and at all times whilst approved unless, exceptionally, the Secretary of State determines that there are special circumstances which justify a lesser number.

    — All members are of good character.

    — The club must appoint a member to act as a liaison officer with the police, and the Chief Officer of Police must have confidence that this person is providing the police with such information as they require to ensure that the activities of the club, and its members, are conducted properly and safely and give no cause for concern.

    — The club will maintain a register of the attendance of all members together with details of each visit, of the firearms which they used, and the competitions, if any, in which they took part.

    — The club will inform the police of any holder of a firearm certificate who has ceased to be a member for whatever reason.

    — The club will inform the police if any member who holds a firearm certificate has not shot with the club for a period of twelve (12) months.

    — The club will inform the police of any application for membership, giving the applicant's name, address and outcome of any application.

    — No application for full or probationary membership will be granted unless the applicant has informed the club of whether or not he/she has ever had an application for a firearm or shotgun certificate refused by the police or had such a certificate revoked.

    — Members, prospective members and guests must sign a declaration that they are not prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition by virtue of Section 21 of the Firearms Act 1968. See also What is a prohibited person?

    — The club has regular use of ranges with safety certificates for the categories of firearms in respect of which approval is being sought or granted.

    — The security arrangements for the storage of club firearms and ammunition are satisfactory.

    — The club does not run a day or temporary membership scheme.

    — The club does not have more than twelve (12) guest days a year. Guest members must be either members of a recognised outside organisation or people who are known personally to at least one full member of that club.

    — Guests must be supervised on a one to one basis at all times when handling firearms and ammunition by either a full club member or someone who is a coach with a qualification recognised by the UK or National Sports Council. The club secretary must notify each guest day to the Police Firearms Licensing Department of the area in which the guest day is to take place, at least 48 hours in advance.

    — Anyone applying for club membership must be sponsored by at least one full member of that same club.

    — Before becoming a full member, individuals must serve a probationary period of at least three (3) months, during which time they must attend and shoot regularly. The probationary member must be given a course in the safe handling and use of firearms on a one to one basis by someone who is either a full member of that club or who is a coach with a qualification recognised by the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation and governing bodies.

    — Until a probationary member has satisfactorily completed a course in the safe handling and use of firearms, he/she must be supervised at all times when in possession of firearms or ammunition, by either the range officer or a full member of that club, or someone who is a coach with a qualification recognised by the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation and/or governing bodies.

    — The probationary period may be waived, at the club's discretion, for someone who is already a full member of another club approved for the type of weapons, or has handled firearms in the course of duty in the police or armed services, and has a statement from his/her existing or former senior officer stating that they are fully trained in handling weapons for which the club is approved, and is able to use them safely without supervision.

    — The club should never have more probationary members than full members, unless the Secretary of State determines that there are special circumstances which justify a greater number of probationary members.

    — There is nothing else that would make the club unsuitable for approval.

  If approval is granted, the approval will be subject to a set of standard conditions which will reflect the approval criteria listed above. In certain cases, the Secretary of State may attach further specific conditions to a club's approval, as he sees fit.





 
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Prepared 20 December 2010