Fees being jacked up - public consultation

[Gaz]

Those good folks at the Shooting Times have spotted that there is a public consultation about FAC fees being jacked up to £88 and SGC fees to £79.50 from next year.

http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/news/shooti ... tion-41730

The wording on the consultation itself is horrendously biased in favour of fees being jacked up. I'm loath to share the link to non-shooting friends and family because it's written in such a way that people with no knowledge of how the figures were plucked out of thin air could only conclude that a 76% increase is the only way ahead, and that we've had some kind of special treatment up until now.

[DL.]

I personally don't see the need to charge for firearms licensing atall, and I'm aghast that BASC supports this on the condition that 'service improves'.

[M99]

There has not been a rise in 13 years and this is far lower than the figure that was being banded about. Those who are BASC members would have the details of this direct from BASC.
The shooting times didn't just notice - it is via a BASC press release.
But then did we expect accurate reporting from our very own Hack?
Incidentally it includes a reduction in the fee for a variation.

[nickb834]

I'm a BASC member and I don't recall seeing this at all? Was it in the last magazine buried somewhere?

[Gaz]

But then did we expect accurate reporting from our very own Hack?

Read my signature block.

Edited by Christel.

[SevenSixTwo]

I'll be on that like a tramp on chips.... http://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice ... 30985RLRQD

[SevenSixTwo]

I'm a BASC member and I don't recall seeing this at all?

Nope. Me neither.

[nickb834]

We should probably get that survey link in a new post and stickied so everyone sees it?

[Sandgroper]

I'm a BASC member and I don't recall seeing this at all?

Nope. Me neither.

Posted today on the BASC website - http://basc.org.uk/blog/press-releases/ ... proposals/

From the BASC page

Initial police proposals were for a rise in shotgun certificate fees from £50 to £109. BASC rejected this and asked for the component parts of the licensing system to be fully costed and examined in accordance with the principles of better regulation and Treasury guidelines and taking into account the police move to e-commerce for firearms licensing.

BASC chairman Alan Jarrett said: “We welcome the government’s initiative to involve stakeholders and do the job properly. Those who shoot can have confidence that they are paying a fair price for their certificate which has been decided after a rigorous process founded on solid evidence. We hope to see this proposal implemented after the consultation. I would urge everyone who shoots to make their views known in the Home Office online consultation.”

I haven't looked at the consultation (yet) but I would like to see that evidence.

[nickb834]

The figures in the BASC press release for renewals don't match those in the consultation survey - sigh.........

Suppose they're only out by a quid - but feck me, how hard is it!