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Thread: BASC urges all shooters to respond to Home Office (includes guidelines)

  1. #1
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    BASC urges all shooters to respond to Home Office (includes guidelines)

    BASC asks all shooters to respond to Home Office consultation.

    21st May 2004………………………………………… immediate release.


    Every person who shoots and the clubs, syndicates or groups to which they belong should all send responses to the Home Office consultation on “Controls on Firearms” and contact their MPs to express their views, according to Britain’s largest representative body for shooting, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).

    BASC has produced guidelines on how to respond and how to identify and contact MPs. The association is asking all shooting press, websites and connected bodies to encourage their readers and members to take part.
    A guide to responding to the consultation, intended for publication, is included.

    The consultation runs until the 31st of August, but BASC is encouraging people to make their responses as early as possible. Full details can be seen on the BASC website www.basc.org.uk.

    Christopher Graffius, BASC director of communication said “We must make our voice heard, as individuals and as members of clubs, associations and syndicates. Rest assured that those who oppose the lawful ownership and use of sporting guns will be putting their views across. BASC will make a full representation, but each one of us must make the effort to respond to the consultation. Lawful gun owners have not contributed to the rise in gun crime, and tighter controls on our access to and use of sporting guns will do nothing to address the problem.”

    GUIDANCE NOTES FOLLOW>>>>>>>>>>>>

    Firearms Control Review – How readers can help

    BASC is concerned that the Home Office “Controls on Firearms” consultation will be influenced by many “anti-gun” submissions. We therefore ask all who shoot to respond to the consultation and raise their concerns with their MPs as well. This short guide should help you to respond.

    You can find copies of the consultation on BASC’s website www.basc.org.uk as well as BASC’s initial summary of the consultation document.

    If you don’t have access to the web you can obtain a copy of the document by telephoning Carl Griffiths at the Home Office on 020 7273 3913 / 2697. Copies of the BASC summary can be obtained by telephoning 01244 573 031.

    Responding to the Consultation.

    Please respond to:

    Firearms Controls Consultation
    Home Office
    5th Floor
    50, Queen Anne’s Gate
    London SW1H 9AT

    firearmscontrolsconsultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

    Tips on responding to the Home Office

    · Consider if you want to respond as a club, syndicate or individual
    · Explain your experience as shooter, if you are a BASC member , say so.
    · Select the points from the BASC summary response on the BASC website that you wish to raise.
    · Briefly set out your concerns with the proposals you have chosen. Key proposals include treating shotguns under the stricter tests for rifles, mandatory testing of those who shoot, and the age limits at which young people can shoot. You will find many other issues raised in the document.
    · Keep your letter polite and to the point – it could be published by the Home Office in their summary of the consultation.
    · If you choose to respond by email the same tips are relevant.

    Please send a copy of your submission to the Home Office and copy it to your MP. You can identify your MP via the front page of the BASC website. Alternatively call the House of Commons on 0207 219 3000 where the Public Information Office can identify your MP from your postcode.

    Tips on writing to your MP

    · Write rather than email. Personal letters have more impact.
    · Explain that you are a constituent, if you are a member of BASC, say so and explain your shooting experience.
    · Briefly explain your concerns about the Firearms Controls Consultation.
    · Point out that the Labour Party has a manifesto commitment “not to restrict shooting sports”.
    · Ask your MP to write to David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, and raise your concerns.
    · Keep the letter polite and to the point.

    It will be useful for BASC to know what has been submitted to the consultation and what MPs and the Home Secretary has written. Please copy your submission and any replies you receive from your MP or the Home Secretary to Christopher Graffius, Director of Communications, BASC, Marford Mill, Wrexham, LL12 OHL.

    Thank you for your support

    ENDS.
    Simon Clarke
    Head of Press Relations, BASC
    simon.clarke@basc.org.uk

  2. #2
    steven is offline Whist - it's the new rock'n'roll, innit?
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    Thanks Simon.

    I will be drafting a submission next week, and will forward copy as per your request.

    Best Regards,

    Steven

    ps, Will try to get a notice placed at my local shooting ground tomorrow.

  3. #3
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    Hi I shall be sending a letter, as a member of the
    Sportsmans Association, I have written lots of letters to the papers an MP, it is very hard to get people to write but i will mention it at our club.
    I would urge people to write even if it is only a few lines, as once our sport goes we will never get it back then it.

    Regards
    Jo

  4. #4
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    Deep Sigh

    Depressong reading , but its enough to make me get pen to paper and make my views made on this matter. i eill also send a copy to my local MP and send one to BASC,

    i beleave alot of BBS members who dont normally write should force themselves to put an hour aside and do the same

    I just wish we had a goverment that was logical

    Matt

  5. #5
    Beer Hunter Guest
    Gents,

    As well as individual submissions, how about a about a joint AirGun BBS reply?
    This would take a little work to collate all our views and draw up the reply, but I’m willing to put in the effort if others are.

    TER…

  6. #6
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    Will complete response as club and encourage as many of our 70 plus members to do likewise.

    Bob
    Secretary Basingstoke AR & PC
    All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

    BARPC

    Basingstoke Air Rifle & Pistol Club. Founded 1975

  7. #7
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    I composed a reply, but the consultation document is so badly written it is rather difficult to formulate a response. A lack of statistics on the subject matter, and essentially the Government wants to tighten the law on legally held weapons whilst not addressing the issue of illegally held wweapons, in this document at least. I think it is a political document rather than one based on common sense, ie placating the Labour supporters in inner cities whose relatives hve been victims of gun crime, burdening other people for the sake of headlines.

  8. #8
    Beer Hunter Guest
    I'll take that as a no then!

    TER...

  9. #9
    swamprat Guest
    I've managed to download the Consultation document, and at first glance I find it good that Home Office claims it does NOT wish to license airguns. I'd like to respond however just to make sure.

    I can't seem to access the BASC's response that might give me some tips as to what I actually write. Can anyone summarise any bits of the BASC's response that's relevant to airguns? Any other ideas gratefully accepted. I'd like to do something but I'm rubbish at things like this.

  10. #10
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    Try visiting our home page directly and following the links that way. It's all set out there.

    regards
    Simon Clarke
    Head of Press Relations, BASC
    simon.clarke@basc.org.uk

  11. #11
    Beer Hunter Guest
    Originally posted by TER...
    Gents,

    As well as individual submissions, how about a about a joint AirGun BBS reply?
    This would take a little work to collate all our views and draw up the reply, but I’m willing to put in the effort if others are.

    TER…
    If I were to start another thread asking purely for comments, it would be possible to combine these into an “AirGun BBS” response. This could then be sent once the majority are happy with the content.

    What do you think?

    TER...

  12. #12
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    Ter,
    I think you will end up with an eight legged horse. No offence, but I think it will take ages for people to be happy with the content assuming they have read and thougth about the consultation document. I'd do a letter yourself and copy it to your MP and BASC, as I did.

    How many people on here have actually read the document?

  13. #13
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    Letters written and ready to post

    Thankyou for pricking my conscience, and the encouragement to get off my butt and write.

    Richard

  14. #14
    deathshed Guest
    message sent today to home office and copy to my mp .

  15. #15
    Mint Guest
    errm, i'm 14, can i still write or am i underage?

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