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To: Norman Baker (Home Office) & DEFRA
Stop subsidies to gun licenses and grouse moors
Dear Mr Baker, please put up the cost of gun licenses from £50, frozen since 2001. It costs the Police £196 to carry out the background checks, a total subsidy of £17 million per year. DEFRA please cancel the recent rise in the Government subsidy for grouse moors (up from £30 to £56 per hectare), or even better abolish the subsidy altogether.
Why is this important?
At a time when Government cutbacks are affecting vital public services and most people's pay rises have not kept pace with rising prices, it is important that the Government is fair and even handed. We all have to pay the full cost of issuing passports and driving licenses, so gun owners should do the same. Subsidies to wealthy grouse moor owners should be stopped and the money used for wider benefit. See http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/22/cameron-blasted-battle-shotgun-licence-fees or http://www.monbiot.com/2014/04/28/the-shooting-party/ for more information.
