Reply With QuoteI can't help thinking they have a hidden agenda, surely the Home Office can't be so incredibly incompetent unitentionally?
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Home Office figures confirm failure of Brocock ban
17th June 2004 immediate release.
Home Office figures have confirmed the attempt to remove self-contained gas cartridge airguns from the streets has failed. In answer to a parliamentary question, Home Office minister Caroline Flint said just over 1500 of the guns, many of which bear the trade name Brocock, have been surrendered to the police and less than 6000 have been registered on firearm certificates. From manufacturers figures, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) estimates there could be up to 68000 airguns of this type still in circulation.
Mike Eveleigh, senior firearms officer at BASC said We have been warning the Home Office for some time that action was needed or this policy was destined to fail. We urged them to extend the deadline to either hand-in or register these guns but they refused. Now our worst fears have been confirmed there are tens of thousands of these guns still around, and because of the heavy-handed approach of the Home Office they are likely to end up in hands of criminals. It is now essential that the Home Office makes it a policy not to prosecute for possession of one of these guns unless there is evidence of criminal intent. This would allow many of the guns to be handed in or licensed. There are many people who are still unaware of the change in the law because of a lack of publicity.
Self-contained gas cartridge airguns are low-powered airguns which use a system where an airgun pellet and the charge of gas or air which fires it are contained in a single cartridge. They can be converted to fire live rounds, and were singled out in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act (2004). The Act made it an offence to sell or give away the guns in January, and from the 30th April it became illegal to possess one without a valid firearms certificate.
Mike Eveleigh said There is a minimum five year prison sentence for possession of this type of airgun. Before the Act they were available for sale over the counter with no registration. In themselves they are not dangerous, but there is a potential for conversion to fire live ammunition. So the Home Office has succeeded only in creating a huge stockpile of illegal guns. It is time this was put right. ENDS.
NOTE TO EDITORS: In answer to a question in parliament, Caroline Flint confirmed that 1,524 self-contained gas cartridge airguns have been surrendered, and 5,791 entered on firearm certificates. See Hansard
For more details call the press office on 01244 573031.
Last edited by Simon Clarke; 18-06-2004 at 08:51 AM.
I can't help thinking they have a hidden agenda, surely the Home Office can't be so incredibly incompetent unitentionally?
of course they could!Originally posted by Zanx
I can't help thinking they have a hidden agenda, surely the Home Office can't be so incredibly incompetent unitentionally?
They have proven their total incompetence time and time again, from Firearm legislation to Asylum seekers/Economic migrants, so why should this latest cock-up be of any surprise.Originally posted by Zanx
I can't help thinking they have a hidden agenda, surely the Home Office can't be so incredibly incompetent unitentionally?
Captain Mainwaring
As an un-affected (small) air-gun manufacturer pointed out to me; the Police were not given ANY additional resource to carry out the licensing function for these air guns.
Why?
Maybe, because (literally) at a stroke several thousands of people became 'serious criminals' overnight. Many (or most) without any idea they had done so. Perhaps this was expected, since the anticipated 'rush' of FAC applications could not been actionable without some additional resource.....
Possibly a year from now the government can have a 'firearms' amnesty, and potentially take 20-30,000+ 'handgun firearms' off the streets.
Imagine the headline, "B'Liar cuts illegal gun possession by 90%"
Not that I'm a cynic, much.
...
To be good, one must do good.
As pointed out at the time they was working on the Bill
The majority of Tac powered gun, owners do not read Shooting publication or visit Gun Shops that often
Many are sitting in boxes around houses forgotten about.
Someone mention that a relative had a load on his study wall until advised they was now illegal to have .
discovered after registration date.
It comes about by the Goverment doing it on the Cheap and hoping that people will read there notices or leaflets.
There are a fair few shooters that are still being processed due to staff shortages and others that are having problems with references.
Often brought about by the wording on form 101 , which is for Full Firearms.
But I doubt if the Bill and restriction will save one life while there are so many full Blown fire arms around our drug crazed streets
Which our Elected Goverment and Courts can not seem to remove.
As often hear of those involved being responsible for many shootings.
Including while on bail etc.
Do not Blame me, as I did not Vote for them
BOB/R
I'll get to 1000 if it kills me..
I don't understand why anyone would play ball by handing them in. Either register them or dump them at the the local tip. Why do HMG a favour by allowing them to quote how many have been surrendered. Same goes for 'amnesties'.
Because most people still trust and have respect for "The System", however, this trust and respect is deteriorating FAST due to the muppets running the place and their obsession with the creation of unrealistic stats that make them look like they are doing the job well.Originally posted by PV
I don't understand why anyone would play ball by handing them in. Either register them or dump them at the the local tip. Why do HMG a favour by allowing them to quote how many have been surrendered. Same goes for 'amnesties'.
Got to agree with Baldies' POV.
2,602.00 GBP −10.00 (0.38%) at the close
this legislation is a crock of S**T
If there was a genuine case agaisnt SCAC airguns which I disbelieve then all they had to do was make them sec 1
that it end of story.
All this sec 5 nonsense with no sell trade swap pass give lend b*****s is pure idiocy. whats it meant to achieve? I can buy and sell an AK47 ofan M16 in straight pull format but cant swap brocok revolvers with someone else with a suitable license?
If this legislation had been a horse it'd be so sick I'd be honour bound to shoot it and put it out of our misery.
whats the chances that any fairer laws will be implemented as part of this up coming review
0% I'd say
we will be left with all the old convoluted crud plus afurther layer of misdirection and political correctness across the top.
If this lunacy is repeated throught other areas of legislation the country is doomed
It is meant to kill Brococks on the cheap. They don't want anyone to own one, but an outright ban would mean spending millions in compensation, based on the precedent of 1997/1998.Originally posted by urx
whats it meant to achieve?
ExactlyOriginally posted by Graphite
It is meant to kill Brococks on the cheap.
Gordon
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