§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report figures showing the cost of a firearms certificate in each of the last 10 years.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe fee for the grant of a firearm certificate was 5s. until 1969, when it was increased to £2. 10s. It was subsequently increased to £3 10s. in 1971, £7 in 1975 and £12 in 1976. Since 1969 the fees have been set at a level intended to cover the costs of operating the firearms controls without requiring subsidies from rates or taxes.
§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any discussions were held with the Long Room Committee before the recent announcement of increases in the charge for the issue and renewal of firearm certificates.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe Long Room Committee was given advance notice of the Government's decision to increase the fees, but the decision was not discussed with the Committee.
§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the increase in charges for the renewal of a firearms certificate from £4.50 to £10 and the 255W administrative procedures involved in reissuing such certificates.
§ Dr. SummerskillIt is the Government's policy that the costs of operating the controls under the Firearms Act 1968 should be recovered from the fees charged for firearms certificates and the registration of firearms dealers. The fees introduced by the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1976, based on a survey of the costs of operating the controls in a representative sample of police forces in 1975, are set at the lowest level required to cover police expenditure. The costs involved in the renewal of a firearm certificate arise mainly from the inquiries made by the police to establish the continued suitability of the applicant and of the security arrangements for the firearm.
§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration was given to the effect on the sporting use of firearms before the increases in the charges for the granting and renewal of firearms certificates from 1st October 1976 were introduced.
§ Dr. SummerskillWe have no reason to believe that the increased fees will lead to any significant decrease in the number of people holding firearm certificates for sporting purposes.
§ Dr. Glynasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the resentment caused by the increased fees both for the issue and replacement of firearms certificates, he will publish details of the average cost of issuing a certificate and of issuing a replacement certificate in the Metropolitan Police area.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe average cost of issuing a firearm certificate in the Metropolitan Police area in 1975 was £50.96. The average cost of issuing a replacement was £42.43, when the number of firearms covered by the certificate was increased, and £17.80, when the number of firearms was not increased.