Farmers and landowners are facing a possible four-fold rise in the cost of a firearms licence as part of the government's efforts to tackle the police funding crisis.
Campaigners have called for an urgent meeting with Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, following plans to increase firearms licensing fees.
The Home Office outlined its intention to introduce a statutory instrument to raise fees - up to £20 million - to achieve full-cost recovery for police forces.
This could increase the cost of a new licence up from between £49 and £90 to £400, according to rural campaigners.
The British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has issued an urgent request to the Home Office for a meeting to discuss the fees.
BASC’s executive director of communications, Christopher Graffius, said there had been no stakeholder consultation or transparency with the potential move.
“It would be outrageous for fees to be increased while firearms licensing remains a postcode lottery across large parts of the country," he said.
“Inefficient licensing departments do not protect public safety. The minister would be well advised to deal with inefficiency before increasing fees or risk this government alienating yet another constituency.”
In parliament, Dame Diana said that firearms licensing fees had not increased since 2015 and were now significantly less than the cost of the service provided by police forces.
"This funding deficit is impacting the effectiveness of police firearms licensing controls and the crucial role they play in safeguarding the public," she explained.
“We therefore intend to lay a statutory instrument, when parliamentary time allows, to increase firearms licensing fees to provide full-cost recovery for police forces, in line with our manifesto commitment.
"The additional revenue raised will be retained by police forces to support the important improvements needed in firearms licensing.”
