The National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) recent publication of a long-awaited ‘league table’ of police firearms licensing unit performance makes it abundantly clear that the current system needs root and branch reform. The statistics published show comparative performance in two key areas: percentage of applications completed within four months and the number of temporary permits on issue. The metrics go some way to shedding light on the disparity between the efficiency and effectiveness of the 43 separate police firearms licensing bodies in England and Wales, but by no means reveal all the inadequacies that some departments present. 

Taking a look at the figures, one can clearly see that firearms licensing is deservedly a source of pride for some police forces, for example, Derbyshire Constabulary processed within four months 99% of the 2,819 applications they received in the last 12 months and have zero temporary permits on issue. However, one need only look at Cambridgeshire, where the equivalent figures are 32% of 2,470 applications processed within four months and have 621 temporary applications on issue, to see that gun owners in many parts of the country have a lot to be concerned about.  

The huge inconsistency of service level between forces is just one symptom of the ludicrously complex system for firearms licensing that we have in England and Wales. No police force was ever set up to be a licensing authority, and that firearms licensing responsibility currently sits with police chiefs is a vestige of a government act from over 100 years ago. What is needed is a single, centralised licensing authority, like the DVLA.  

We are currently conducting an e-lobby which allows everyone to contact their Westminster MP to highlight the failing system that we currently have and request the creation of a sorely needed single, centralised licensing body. If licensing were being set up from scratch today, it would without doubt be done by a single body. You can sign our e-lobby here. Shooting and gun ownership mean a huge amount to the countryside and affect every single person in the country - the British farmed food we buy, the biodiversity of the nation, the rural pubs we visit and the sports we see GB winning at the Olympics, to name but a few examples. All MPs need to know that we are great in number and that we care. 

The NPCC league table can be read in full here and is going to be published on a quarterly basis henceforth.