English Law Commission Report on Firearms Control

The English Law Commission has issued its final report on the modernization of the British law regulating the possession and acquisition of firearms.

According to the press release:

"The existing law is confused, unclear and difficult to apply. There are over 30 pieces of overlapping legislation, some of the key terminology – such as 'lethal', 'component part' and 'antique' – is not clearly defined, and the law has fallen out of step with developments in technology (...)"

"Following extensive public consultation with police and prosecutors, in addition to groups representing the licensed firearms community, the Commission makes three recommendations in its report to clarify definitions:

• There should be single, simple test to determine whether a weapon is lethal, based upon the kinetic energy at which it discharges a projectile.
• What constitutes a 'component part' of a firearm should be set out in a statutory list and the Secretary of State be given the power to update the list.
• Whether a firearm is antique should be determined by whether it uses an obsolete cartridge type or firing mechanism contained on an statutory list. Only those old firearms that no longer pose a realistic danger to the public should be on the list."