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
| | |
|
| 2000 | 2001
| 2002 |
| | |
|
| Air gun or pistol | 1490 |
1357 | 1312 |
| Rifle* | 639 | 625
| 718 |
| Shotgun | 177 | 89
| 164 |
| Cotton wool bud | 5854 |
6819 | 8938 |
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|
| *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.
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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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