Member

Secondly, there is the question of the film industry, which in this country contributed about £5.6 billion to our economy in 2024. By and large, film directors want their close-up shots to be authentic in terms of the look, sound and heft of real weapons. Clearly, these must be used in secure conditions, but we allow heavy machine guns, assault rifles and similar items to be used in films made in this country under conditions of strict control. There are licensed armourers who supply such weapons for dramatic performances and films. It does not seem to me that people who are trusted with such weapons should not be trusted with weapons prohibited under ROWA. They have appeared in half a dozen Bond movies over the decades, and to remove one from the script of the next film in the franchise would seem a little odd. I cannot see that by allowing an exemption for film and performance we are doing anything more dangerous than we allow for other weapons. This is a direction in which we should feel comfortable moving.