Lincolnshire's Firearms Licensing Medical Procedure Policy Update

After several changes of policy by Lincolnshire Police regarding the firearms licensing medical procedure, the time is right for the Countryside Alliance to update our members and supporters on the current situation and the work that we continue to do to ensure a fair and consistent approach to licensing.


The introduction of a new firearms licensing medical procedure has resulted in two years of confusion and set-backs for not just the shooting community, but also licensing departments and GPs across England, Scotland and Wales. It was with great shame that the British Medical Association (BMA) defaulted immediately on the procedure agreed by the Medical Evidence Working Group in April 2016. The unexpected U-turn by the BMA continues to sow confusion throughout the system, nowhere more so than in Lincolnshire.


Whilst the 43 police forces in England and Wales are attempting to find a suitable solution among the rubble, Lincolnshire Police have gone a step further by passing Home Office Guidance. The Guidance currently states that if the licensing department does not hear from the GP within 21 days they are to move forward with the process. However, as of April Lincolnshire Police have ignored this rule for renewal applications and now refuse to move forward with the application without hearing from the GP.


This new procedure leaves applicants and certificate holders at the mercy of their GP and any arbitrary fee they choose to charge. Even once that fee has been paid, there remains no way of checking whether the encoded marker, which enables continuous monitoring of the applicant's health, has been applied or not. The BMA continues to advise its members not to do so.


The Alliance has raised these issues with Lincolnshire Police, and we thank them for their frank and honest assessment of the current situation. While we disagree with their approach, we believe that Lincolnshire Police are acting in good faith, working within a fundamentally broken system to deliver improved public safety for both certificate holders and non-certificate holders.


Regarding the fee being charged by GPs to undertake the initial check, we now know that Lincolnshire Police have written to every GP's surgery requesting that they take part in the procedure and charge a fee of no more than £40, agreed on by the Local Medical Committee. Whilst this is admirable, the GPs are not governed by any legislation in this area (unlike the Police and firearms licence holder) and can therefore charge whatever they like, leaving the applicant exposed to fees in excess of the recommended £40 mark.


Continuous monitoring through the encoded marker system was a priority of the Medical Evidence Working Group. Ensuring the marker is placed on the applicant's medical report is essential. Lincolnshire Police have attempted to make this procedure as easy as possible for the GP, however there is no way of knowing that the encoded marker has been added to an applicant's medical report. The possibility that a marker may not be added means that there is no net benefit to the system and the fee that the applicant is being charged is pointless.


Lincolnshire are trying to make this procedure work; however, they have made it clear to us that there are holes in the process. They are adamant that they will stick with their new policy until given a workable alternative by the Home Office. This is why, whilst acknowledging the issues on a local level and helping members with specific licensing questions, the Alliance continues to publicise the holes in the process and focus on the Home Office as the only people capable of delivering a fair and consistent licensing process for our members and supporters.


If any Countryside Alliance members encounter any difficulties or set-backs within the new Lincolnshire process, please get in touch with the team at [email protected]