Simon Lee, the recently appointed Secretary General of the National Rifle Association (NRA), addressed members of the gun trade at the Gun Trade Association’s Annual General Meeting, held at Bisley, where he set out the challenges facing the shooting community and the NRA’s response to them.
Lee, who has been in post for just three months, acknowledged the weight of issues now facing shooting in the UK, including tougher firearms legislation, the removal of funding for cadet shooting, and the transition away from lead ammunition.
Leadership
On the latter, he confirmed that the NRA had taken a leadership role in discussions with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over the proposed restrictions. He also highlighted the recent publication of a new code of practice for lead removal on ranges, which has been distributed to all of the NRA’s 740 affiliated clubs, 10,000 members and 25,000 affiliated club members.
According to Lee, the NRA is working closely with the Environment Agency and other bodies to demonstrate compliance and position itself as a trusted partner on environmental matters. He noted that the association is already anticipating regulatory requirements, such as naming responsible officers for safety and publishing details of sites falling under new legislation. However, he expressed concern over the complexity of dealing with multiple environment agencies in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as the uncertainty surrounding Northern Ireland, which falls under EU REACH rules.
Lee underlined that shooters depend on ranges to continue their sport, with 350 NRA-affiliated clubs currently operating indoor and outdoor ranges. The potential for wide-ranging derogations, or partial licensing of some ranges but not others, remains unclear. “Shooters need ranges, and all of our clubs will require derogation to continue to operate,” he warned, adding that the industry was pushing back against what he described as an “unrealistically tight” three-year transition period.
Licensing
On licensing, Lee announced the recruitment of a full-time Firearms Liaison Officer, a former Police Firearms Officer and Firearms Enquiry Officer, who will assist members in expediting certificate applications and improving communication with the police. The NRA is also providing free training at Bisley in collaboration with BSSC and the College of Policing, for firearms licensing team members. The initiative, Lee said, has been well received but there remain challenges around how to roll this out nationally, away from Bisley.
In closing, Lee positioned the NRA as a “trusted advisor” to the Environment Agency and other authorities, stressing that the association has a vested interest in public safety and safe shooting practices. He pledged to share updates with clubs once requirements become clearer, and committed to developing a detailed environmental security strategy to ensure ranges remain compliant and operational.
“I’ve only been in the role three months,” he said, “but it’s already clear that the NRA must take a proactive role in guiding our clubs through the challenges ahead. We are determined to ensure the future of shooting remains secure.”
