§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if, in view of the fact that a firearm certificate renewal in 1973 cost £2.50 and now cost £13, he will list any other certificates or licences for which he has responsibility which have increased in a similar manner over a similar period.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesFees payable for the following certificates and licences have been subject to increases over the period shown below:
and to replace a shot-gun certificate and the levels of the fees charged at each alteration since shot-gun certificates were introduced, with the relevant dates thereof given;
(2) if he will list in the Official Report separately the levels of the fees now charged newly to register and to renew a firearms dealer's licence and the levels of the fees charged at each alteration since these licences were introduced, with the relevant dates thereof given;
(3) if he will list in the Official Report separately the levels of the fees now charged to issue, to renew, to vary and to replace a firearm certificate, and the levels of the fees charged at each alteration since firearm certificates were introduced, with the relevant dates thereof given.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesFollowing is the information: 425W
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Firearms Act 1920 Firearms Act 1937 Criminal Justice Act 1967 Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1968 1st January 1969 Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1970 1st January 1971 Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1975 7th July 1975 Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1976 1st October 1976 Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1978 1st April 1978 FIREARMS CERTIFICATES: (a) Issue … … … … 5s. 5s. £2 10s. £3 10s. £7 £12 £16 (b) Renewal … … … 2s. 6d. 2s. 6d. £1 5s. £2 10s. £5.50 or £4.50* £10 £13 (c) Variation … … … 2s. 6d. £1 5s. £2 10s. £5.50 £10 £13 (d) Replacement … … … 2s. 6d. £1 5s £2 10s. £5.50 or £4.50* £10 £13 SHOT GUN CERTIFICATES: (a) Issue … … … … 5s. 15s. £1 £2 £5 £7 (b) Renewal … … … 2s. 6d. 15s. £1 £1.50 £4 £5 (c) Replacement … … … 2s. 6d. 7s. 6d. 10s. £1.50 £4 £5 FIREARMS DEALERS: (a) New registrations … … £1 £5 £20 £20 £20 £25 £30 (b) Renewal … … … £1 £4 £4 £10 £20 £25 * Depending on whether or not the number of firearms covered by the certificate was increased.
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider extending the life of a firearm and a shot-gun certificate from three years to five years or six years in order to save police manpower on repetitive work such as has been done with the driving licence.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo. I am not persuaded that the validity of these certificates could be extended without reducing the effectiveness of the firearms controls.