Did you know that the cost of a five-year licence for a firearm has now been frozen for more than 13 years? Incredibly the cost of a firearm licence is just one quarter of the real cost facing the police in administering the system and ensuring vital security checks are undertaken.

So at present valuable police resources are being used to subsidise gun owners. That is simply indefensible.

The good news is that this could soon change. The Home Office are now carrying out a consultation which proposes to modernise the licensing system using eCommerce. This will standardise and improve the turnaround times for licences and by using modern technology reduce the costs of administering the system. And at the same time there will be a reasonable increase in fees for people allowed to own a firearm to ensure that the fees finally cover the real costs facing the police.

If you think firearm owners should pay the full cost that is involved in administering a gun licence please tell the Home Office. The consultation involves just two key questions. Taking part only takes five minutes.

Simply go to the Home Office website and then click the consultation section. Or alternatively this is the website link: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a-proposal-to-increase-firearms-licensing-fees-administered-by-the-police These changes are long overdue. They are fair and will end a real drain on resources for the Metropolitan Police Service. Let’s make sure it happens.

Caroline Pidgeon AM

Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group