BASC, the UK’s largest shooting organisation with a membership of more than 140,000, was represented on Sky News today.
Duncan Thomas from BASC North and Jack Depledge, one of BASC’s Young Shots Ambassadors, were interviewed for the piece about young people and shooting.
BASC was represented in a live studio debate after the broadcast of the piece by South East regional director Dan Reynolds.
Stephen Curtis, BASC’s director of operations, said: “We felt it was important to take part in the production of this piece to educate people and inform the debate on young people and guns. We hope that as a result of our involvement, Sky News viewers will have a greater understanding of the reasons why young people might need to use legally-held guns. Some of these young people are learning to shoot so they can represent their country in the Olympics and other competitions.
“For many children growing up in families where shooting is a part of life acquiring a shotgun certificate is part of training in shooting safely which emphasises responsibility and self discipline. This can only be to the public benefit and as the police confirm is no threat to public safety.”
On the subject of young people and shotgun certificates, BASC supports the current expert opinion.
The Home Office, in guidance on firearms law, has said: “It is in the interests of safety that a young person who is to handle firearms should be properly taught at a relatively early age.”
In his evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee in 2010, the ACPO lead on firearms licensing, Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Whiting, said: “The evidence in relation to young people shooting does not give any cause for concern.”
ENDS