Sentence:  Their computer cannot issue a Permit to Acquire to somebody who does not have the appropriate category of licence; or whose licence is about to expire. I am hearing from lots of people who want to know why it's taking weeks, or even months, for the <WSD>PTA</WSD> to be issued, when the waiting period is supposed to be only 28 days. The reason is, of course, that the massive backlog of five-year licence renewals, caused by the under-resourcing of the Registry, is holding up <WSD>PTA</WSD>′s because they can't be issued until after the licence renewal is issued. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  (nodot=1): a form lodged with the police to aquire a specific firearm; the authorisation subsequently acquired.