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Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:32 pm
by SevenSixTwo
...tomorrow apparently.
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:30 pm
by paxtond
I fear it's only a matter of time before they get us.
Lucky I have 4 moderator slots that I can trade for rifles free of charge
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:32 pm
by Gaz
FFS. This is ACPO's doing.
Do we know which MPs?
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:44 pm
by Alpha1
FFS. This is ACPO's doing.
Do we know which MPs?
Who/what is ACPO,s give us a clue?
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:00 pm
by SevenSixTwo
Association of Chief Police Orifices.
If they want to minimise time spent on admin and reduce "costs" then why don't they just issue a FAC and be done with all the protracted and unnecessary variation nonsense...
Mike Yardley mentioned this today, btw.
For interest; NI recently beat-off any increases:
http://firearmsuk.org/2013/06/29/licens ... n-ireland/
:)
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:23 pm
by Alpha1
Association of Chief Police Orifices.
Thank you.
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:32 am
by dave_303
SevenSixTwo wrote:Association of Chief Police Orifices.
If they want to minimise time spent on admin and reduce "costs" then why don't they just issue a FAC and be done with all the protracted and unnecessary variation nonsense...
Mike Yardley mentioned this today, btw.
For interest; NI recently beat-off any increases:
http://firearmsuk.org/2013/06/29/licens ... n-ireland/
:)
Is there a live feed/recording of it available?
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:59 am
by Chapuis
And what exactly are they going to raise in their question?
David Isiley of BASC recently wrote (10/10/13);
[b]Firearms fees update.[/b]
The Home Office has begun a co-operative process with the shooting community to assess the correct proportion payable by shooters for licensing services provided by police under the Firearms Act.
BASC’s Bill Harriman, Director of Firearms, and Christopher Graffius, Director of Communications, attended the first meeting with civil servants and other members of the shooting community at the Home Office yesterday.
Civil servants confirmed that the current position was that there would be no change in licensing fees in the short term with the expectation that the group would make recommendations to inform any changes. The group is expected to meet throughout next year – when a full inspection of firearms licensing may be conducted by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary - and into 2015.
The group will deconstruct and examine the processes involved in issuing and renewing licenses and attribute costs to each step. These can then be allocated to the shooting community or the public purse according to Treasury guidelines. The group will also discuss improvements in the efficiency and delivery of the licensing system.
Bill Harriman said: “BASC welcomes the approach outlined by the Home Office. This promises to be the most thorough examination of the system which should produce a fair and just outcome on fees. We gave the Home Office an assurance that we will put the work in to achieve this and will engage constructively in the process.”
So it seems that a process has already been agreed. It is unlikely that the H.O. will deviate from this.
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:25 am
by Watcher
Fine as long as if we pay we have a say in the performance levels provided.
Re: Labour to raise the issue of Licensing Fees in HoC.
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:29 am
by Blackstuff
Taken from the UKPSA forum from the UKPSA liason officer with BSSC;
"As you are no doubt aware, there has been substantial pressure on the Home Office to revise the fees structure for firearms licensing, with suggestions throughout the year that the fees for applications and renewals of FACs and SGCs would be almost doubled.
However following representations from BSSC and other major shooting organisations, the Home Office have now agreed to the setting up of a working group to give a more thorough review of the whole cost structure for licensing, with a requirement for substantially more information on individual Police licensing department costs.
The requirement for 'full cost recovery' for licensing has now been dropped. In addition there will not be any fees increases until after the working group has reported (and I believe that this most unlikely to be this year).
The management of licensing units is also likely to be given close scrutiny by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, who's current Chief Inspector, Thomas Winsor, is the first who has not been a career police officer, and is not liked by ACPO."
Fees unlikely to increase before 2015 is the rumour around the campfire. There WILL be an increase though and it WILL be 'harsh'. Bear in mind that prices haven't been adjusted for 12 years worth of inflation/cost of living