Update on the new laws which will affect UK Airsoft;
1. The Policing and Crime Bill-
MPs will next consider the Bill at Report Stage, Legislative Grand Committee and Third Reading over two days, beginning on Tuesday 26 April. Last week the airsoft lobby was blindsided by an opposition MP attempting to remove the airsoft exception. Behind the scenes UKAPU, UKARA and ATB are being very proactive, we are reacting to this threat. Rest assured we’re not going to merely accept those poorly researched and deeply prejudiced accusations we heard from that MP.
We also have big concerns about parts of the Bill as it stands.
2. EU Firearms directive-
Some of you were concerned that the ammendments submitted via Vicky Ford to counter the problems in proposal 2015/0269 had a few problems in the wording. We agree. Our parent body, the European Airsoft Association, is now working with the airsoft industry to submit further amendments.
3. Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act-
We have been advised that the PCB 2015 airsoft exception (1.3J threshold for full auto and 2.5J threshold for semi auto or single-shot) will apply in Scotland, which is great news. We will continue to follow this up.