Recommendation 56

We heard in evidence about some of the potential benefits of shortening the length of time before a renewal was required. Dr Michael North (a founding member of the Gun Control Network) told us that the Gun Control Network “would certainly argue in favour of a shorter period… [because] some of the personal circumstances of gun owners are likely to change, in some cases quite significantly, over a period of five years—relationship 137 The Home Office’s statutory guidance on firearms licensing for Chief Officers of Police (published on 1 November 2021) sets out suitability requirements in Chapter 3. 138 Metropolitan Police, Firearms licensing fees, accessed 14 September 139 Home Office, Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for Chief Officers of Police, December 2021, page 13 and page 6 140 Home Office, Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for Chief Officers of Police, December 2021, page 5 141 Q71 142 These include the Gun Control Network (The National, Dunblane victim’s dad calls for stricter gun laws after Skye shooting, accessed 13 September 2022) and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (Shooting UK, BASC: the case for ten year shotgun and firearms certificates, accessed 15 September 2022). 143 Gun Control Network (FLR0020) 144 British Association for Shooting and Conservation (FLR0015) 20 Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland changes; problems with drug and alcohol abuse”.145 The Gun Control Network has called for licences to be renewed every two to three years, echoing Belgium’s and Brazil’s firearms licensing process.146