§ Mrs. Helen JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions exist on membership of gun clubs for persons who have had a licence to hold a gun withdrawn by the police.
§ Mr. Charles WardleUnless the club is one which my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has approved under the terms of section 15 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988, members of a rifle or pistol club require a firearm certificate in order to shoot. Revocation of their certificate by the police would effectively debar a person from membership. A rifle or pistol club which wishes to be approved by my right hon. and learned Friend so that its members may shoot without holding a firearm certificate must satisfy him that the members are of good character. Any club which had among its members a person who had had a firearm certificate revoked would be unlikely to satisfy this test.
Members of shot gun clubs should have a shot gun certificate. While individuals without such a certificate may, exceptionally, use a shot gun at a time and place approved by the local chief officer of police for shooting at artificial targets, this is not intended to provide opportunities for regular shooting by persons who do not possess a certificate. Before granting their approval to such shoots, chief officers must be satisfied that the arrangements involve no danger to the public.