His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has published its report of its inspection of the firearms licensing department of the tri-force area of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, which reveals alarming failures. It labelled this situation with ‘accelerated cause for concern’ as these service failures have increased risk to public safety. These findings will come as no surprise to anyone in these counties who has recently applied for a shotgun or firearms licence renewal or grant. 

The inspection found significant backlogs, with applications taking over two years in some cases, and well over 1,000 temporary permits on issue. It found an ineffective case management system with limited supervision of case files. Inadequate training of the licensing department and related departments was revealed, which prevented jobs being conducted effectively. 

The litany of shortcomings in the inspection report continues at length, highlighting poor compliance with guidance and legislation, and shockingly bad communication, with 2,190 emails found unanswered. The staff were unaware of roles and responsibilities, and no plan to deal with the extensive backlog was apparent. 

HMICFRS has made a number of urgent recommendations to help rectify the dire situation in Beds, Herts and Cambs, but the Countryside Alliance believes that this is yet another example of how the entire licensing framework in England and Wales is unfit for purpose, with more drastic action necessary. 

The failures in these counties are not unique: there are a number of other forces which have been unable to conduct their firearms licensing responsibilities adequately in recent years. It has become clear that the system of 43 separate police firearms licensing bodies, with 43 separate executives (the Chief Constables), 43 separate risk tolerances and budgets is a system of firearms licensing heavily laced with systemic and inherent weaknesses. 

There is urgent need for root and branch reform of firearms licensing in England and Wales. It is no secret that if a licensing body were to be created from scratch today, it would not follow the current model – no police force was ever set up to be a licensing administration body. Just like the Security Industry Authority (SIA), Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), DVLA or passport office, it would be set up as a purpose-built, central authority, with consistent oversight and efficient and effective operation. This is what is needed to improve public safety. 

The government is imminently set to launch a consultation on its proposals that would complicate and restrict shotgun legislation, which would harm conservation efforts, hammer the rural economy and have a negative impact on public safety by exacerbating the bureaucratic and administrative hydra that police forces are currently failing to manage. It should instead be focussing its time and efforts on a genuine solution to the issues in firearms licensing – the framework not the legislation.  

If the Policing Minister, Sarah Jones MP, should consult on anything, she should be consulting on the formation of a single, centralised and fully digitised firearms licensing body which could conduct a safe, effective and efficient service for the benefit of the general public and legitimate gun owners alike. The Countryside Alliance is leading the call for wholesale improvements to firearms licensing in Britain, and has worked with David Orford, former National Police Chiefs Council lead on firearms licensing, to prepare a detailed report underlining the flaws in the current system and outlining a way forward with a single licensing authority. It is clear that history has run its course and the firearms licensing framework in England and Wales must now reform and centralise, just as Scotland has already successfully achieved.