PCCs must use firearms licensing fees to improve service, says BASC

BASC is seeking assurances from every Police and Crime Commissioner in England and Wales that funds raised from increased firearms licensing fees will be used to resource their firearms licensing departments.

BASC has contacted all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) following the government’s decision last week to significantly increase firearms licensing fees.

BASC’s executive director of communications and public affairs, Christopher Graffius, said: “The government’s justification for the increase is that the extra funds raised will go to support improvements in the work of firearms licensing departments, although they have no powers to ensure that this is what happens.

“We have written to the officials responsible for setting the policing budget for their forces to seek their assurance that all funds raised from firearms licensing fees will be assigned to resourcing their firearms licensing departments.”

The move comes after the government announced fee increases amounting to full cost recovery, pushing firearms licensing fees up by an average of 133 per cent across all functions. Read more on the breakdown of the proposals here.