Just a quick update about the status of the VCR Bill in the UK and the affect it may have on UK Airsoft. Tim (ABA) has posted some news in the forums as they’ve reportedly had a reply from the Rt Hon Hazel Blears, there’s a discussion about the response in the forums, and here’s the news from Tim (aka minimiman):
The ABA have had a reply from the Rt Hon Hazel Blears and the news is both good and bad.
The bad news is government ministers are not minded at this point to accept the joint ABA/a governing body/UKARA proposals. They are still questioning our ‘need’ to have replicas that are so realistic. The good news is Ms Blears has however offered us a face to face meeting for us to put our case in person, naturally we are accepting the offer.
The news is a setback, but if we are honest we didn’t expect a wholesale acceptance of our scheme without further consultation and justification.
Currently we are looking to secure a date for such a meeting with Ms Blears and are preparing to explain our ‘need’ for replicas that are so realistic.
The Home Office and government are only one avenue we are at present exploring, the bill has passed to the Lords and lobbying them continues, even if government ministers are dead set against further exemptions, their hand may well be forced into an exemption if the bill is passed back for amendment by the Lords. Tim, (ABA)
