Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
Rural Communities
The following extract is from the Opposition day debate on rural communities on 7 January 2026.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
A further threat is to the shooting industry. Shooting directly contributes £3.3 billion to the rural economy and £9 billion to the wider economy. Last year we saw a staggering 245% increase in shotgun and firearms certificate bills. What is worrying the shooting community at present, however, is the moving of shotguns from section 2 to section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968, which will involve a huge amount of extra bureaucracy. A petition opposing the move, organised by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, now has well over a million signatories. I urge the Government to reconsider that damaging proposal.
[Official Report, 7 January 2026; Vol. 778, c. 350.]
Written correction submitted by the hon. Member for North Cotswolds (Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown):
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
…A petition opposing the move, organised by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, now has well over 100,000 signatories. I urge the Government to reconsider that damaging proposal.