Ahead of Monday's debate, the Countryside Alliance has shared a briefing note about the government's proposed alignment of sections 1 and 2 of the Firearms Act 1968.
The full briefing note can be downloaded here, and the key points have been summarised below.
- British firearms legislation is among the most stringent in the world. To own either a Section 2 shotgun or Section 1 firearm, the same rigorous character suitability, background and medical requirements must be met. An alignment of referee requirements for the two Sections was brought in by this government following its announcement in February 2025.
- Full alignment would bestow a considerable additional administrative burden on police firearms licensing units, which are already stretched to capacity. This may prove detrimental to their ability to uphold public safety whilst delivering a satisfactory service.
- The financial and logistical burden on gun owners and traders would likewise be substantial and would cause significant damage to the rural economy, conservation efforts and communities across the country, especially in the more remote parts of Britain. Alignment would reduce the total value to the shooting community, the Exchequer and the wider UK economy by £2.38 billion in the first year, and would result in a loss of 13,600 to 17,400 full-time employees.
- If improvement of public safety is the key consideration and the government concludes that changes are necessary, rather than counterproductive alignment of Sections 2 and 1, a single, centralised firearms licensing body with full digitisation should be created to replace the current 43 separate licensing authorities in England and Wales.
- Akin to the DVLA or DBS, this body would improve public safety, provide a consistent service for gun owners and allow police forces to focus on law enforcement, rather than licensing – a function they were never set up to deliver.
- Shotgun and firearms licences should be digitised in a central database to allow real-time checking by dealers and private sellers.
- A centralised licensing body would directly address many of the deficiencies which have led to issues with the current system.
- If improved public safety is the issue, then the first step must be to address a licensing system that urgently needs modernisation. Even full alignment of Section 2 and Section 1, which would have severe economic and social consequences, would not improve public safety if the underlying system remains flawed.