Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-07-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from interested parties about the recent EU deactivation specification as it applies to deactivated historical firearms as defined in the Policing and Crime Bill.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
The EU Implementing Regulation 2015/2403 on deactivation standards which came into force on 8 April 2016 sets new technical specifications for deactivated weapons.
Clause 114 of the Policing and Crime Bill creates a specific new offence to sell or gift a weapon that has not been deactivated to the new EU Deactivation Standard.
We have received representations from a small number of interested parties who have been concerned that the EU specification is not as effective as the previous UK standards. In addition, we were contacted by members of re-enactment and living history societies wishing to travel to France with their firearms to participate in commemorative events linked to the D-Day landings and the Battle of the Somme.
We have published guidance on the Regulation which includes requirements for additional measures for deactivated weapons brought into the UK. These measures, which go beyond the EU specification in a small number of areas, were introduced to align the requirements more closely with the previous UK standards. We have also worked with the UK Proof Houses to ensure that certification to the new standards is prioritised for re-enactors wishing to travel with their firearms.
