Contacts

Contact Addresses

Here are some useful contact addresses through which you can express your views on various aspects of the gun issue:


Bureaucrats

Home Office, Firearms Section, 5th Floor, Fry Building, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF

E-mail: firearms@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Telephone (Home Office switchboard): (0207) 035 4848

The Firearms Section handles applications for prohibited weapon authority, rule-making and interpretation of the firearms laws.  They also issue guidance to the police on firearms matters.

In Scotland a lot of these functions are handled by the Scottish Executive, the contact details are: Scottish Government, Safer Communities Directorate, Police Powers Unit, St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG.

E-mail: firearms_enquiries@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Telephone: (0131) 244 8525

In the Isle of Man, the same function is performed by the Dept of Home Affairs, “Homefield”, 88 Woodborne Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 3AP.  However, in the first instance you’ll be better off checking with me usually!

In Northern Ireland, the people to contact are at the Northern Ireland Office, Massey House, Stoney Road, Belfast BT4 3SX.  In the Republic, you need to get hold of the Department of Justice, 72-76, St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.


Law enforcement

You can find the local licensing department in the phone book, if they sound clueless you can always refer to the people above, frequently you will need to!

In Northern Ireland, contact: Police Service of Northern Ireland, Firearms and Explosives Branch, Lisnasharragh, 42 Montgomery Road, Belfast BT6 9LD  Telephone: (0289) 065 0222

In Scotland, these are the contacts.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (England and Wales) can be contacted at 1st Floor, 10 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0NN Telephone: (0207) 084 8950 Email: info@npcc.pnn.police.uk  Usually you should address letters to the firearms sub-committee which is the policy-making body of NPCC for firearms.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission can be a handy bunch to talk to sometimes: IPCC, PO Box 473, Sale, M33 0BW 


Politicians

You can find your member of Parliament, (or in Ireland Member of the Dial or in the Isle of Man member of the Keys) in the phone book usually.  Or in the UK you can write to them at the House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA.  If you’re not sure who your MP is, the main switchboard for the House of Commons can also help, (0171) 219-3000.

Peers can be written to at the House of Lords, Westminster, London SW1A 0PW.   Peers do not represent any particular area.  Additional information can be found on the Parliament website.  I suggest you search through Hansard to find relevant information.


Media

You can find (usually with considerable difficulty!) various contact addresses for complaints and comments for the BBC on their website. However, Ofcom are the main regulators for media other than print in the UK.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation handle complaints about papers and magazines.  All of these organisations are firmly in the media’s pockets, so don’t expect miracles if you contact them.


“One sees here, presented in real life, what one otherwise sees nowhere except in part on paper in our constitutions.   One sees the richest and the poorest, the head of state and the shepherd, joined together in one task.  They stand on the shooting range with the same rights, and the same pleasures.” – Councillor Mario Annoni of Bern Canton quoting 19th century writer Jeremias Gotthelf at the Swiss National Championships, 1995.