11 replies to this topic

[Jamo]

http://www.heraldsco...ensed-1.1031252


All new air guns to be licensed

* 9300932

* Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill

Lucy Adams, Chief Reporter
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29 May 2010

Air guns are finally to be licensed in Scotland under a new pilot announced by ministers yesterday.

Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Secretary, told the annual conference of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents in Dunblane that new air rifles or pistols would be subject to a licensing scheme.

Firearms have traditionally been a reserved matter, but the Scottish Government has pushed for years for the power to tighten regulations on the issue.

The recent Calman Commission recommended that the powers on air weapons be transferred to the Scottish Parliament and the new UK Government has said it will implement the recommendations in full.

The move follows the death of two-year-old Andrew Morton, killed five years ago with an airgun pellet shot by Mark Bonini, 27, in Glasgow’s east end.

Three Scots have died and more than 1100 have been injured by airguns in the last 10 years.

Bonini was jailed for at least 13 years and since then UK legislation on air weapons has been tightened. The minimum age for owning an airgun has risen from 17 to 18, mail-order sales have been banned and all retailers must now be registered.

However, Scottish ministers and police believe Scotland still needs to do more to tackle the country’s problems with air weapons.

MacAskill said: “We will establish a Scottish Firearms Consultative Panel. One of the objectives of the panel will be to look at establishing a pilot licensing scheme for air weapons. This will enable us to test the practicalities of air weapon licensing.

“It will also test whether or not a licensing system can operate effectively without wider reform of the firearms legislation.

“While our primary concern is for public safety, we are clear that any licensing system must be workable for the police and all involved.

“This includes looking at the funding issues. We will work closely with the Consultative Panel to ensure this is the case.

“We have a problem with air weapons in Scotland that needs to be tackled. The pilot will be for new sales of air weapons rather than those languishing in people’s lofts.”

MacAskill’s previous call for a summit aimed at reforming gun legislation was rejected by former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who said it was “not timely” and repeated requests for airgun licensing to be devolved were rebutted by the previous UK Government.

MacAskill yesterday also announced £300,000 in funding for police forces to roll out the Tayside pilot project allowing, in specific cases where a risk was posed to children, the disclosure of sex offender details.

And he said he would look at concerns raised by the superintendents about the need to increase the traditional six-hour detention period for suspects if they were unable to be questioned due to drink or drugs.

In relation to calls for an extension to the six-hour detention period, MacAskill said: “It is in all of our interests to ensure that the police have at their disposal robust procedures which enable them to investigate crime effectively.

“Where changes are needed, changes will be made. I do not view these matters as ideological but operational. If officers need powers on DNA, detention or whatever then we are happy to consider them and do what’s right.”

MacAskill continued: “We are happy to look at this with the Crown and defence lawyers.

“It is common sense that if someone is blind drunk they are not capable of being interviewed. There is something perverse about the idea of someone sobering up after five hours 55 minutes and then being released. The obligation of government is to try to find a solution and that is what we will seek to do.

[eddiecos]

so do i have to register the 2 rifles i never use in the loft?????????????

[Strike Team]

Rather than spending a lot of time typing to each other on AGS about a possible licencing scheme, we'd be better to type up letters/emails to our Westminster MPs, and to the Home Secretary.

The Home Secretary's address is:

Rt Hon Theresa May MP
Home Secretary
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Find your MP's name and address via the Write to Them website.

[Chris]

More useless bureacracy!

Oh well I can leave my old EV2 and Theobens rusting in the loft then - just as well I bought them in time!

I've written twice to my MP - usual non-commital replies, but reading between the lines he (labour) doesn't
like guns. No support at all.

[Jamo]

Strike Team, on 30 May 2010 - 12:07 AM, said:

Rather than spending a lot of time typing to each other on AGS about a possible licencing scheme, we'd be better to type up letters/emails to our Westminster MPs, and to the Home Secretary.

The Home Secretary's address is:

Rt Hon Theresa May MP
Home Secretary
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Find your MP's name and address via the Write to Them website.

very sorry seen it and thought it was worth posting for other members?

[Scoch]

Dont take offence Jamo, what you did was right and a lot of people will still be unaware

[Strike Team]

Jamo, on 30 May 2010 - 09:15 AM, said:

very sorry seen it and thought it was worth posting for other members?

No, you were quite right to post this. I was making a comment about the tendency some shooters have to spend ages talking on the internet about attempts to ban airguns, rather than doing something about it. I didn't mean to cause any offence.

For those who are wondering if I've put my money where my mouth is, I wrote to my MP as few months ago, and I've also had letters in the Glasgow Herald and my local paper. I'll write to Theresa May this week.

[Jamo]

Strike Team, on 30 May 2010 - 10:11 AM, said:

No, you were quite right to post this. I was making a comment about the tendency some shooters have to spend ages talking on the internet about attempts to ban airguns, rather than doing something about it. I didn't mean to cause any offence.

For those who are wondering if I've put my money where my mouth is, I wrote to my MP as few months ago, and I've also had letters in the Glasgow Herald and my local paper. I'll write to Theresa May this week.

none taken apologies if i seemed as if it seemed i was doing the dying swan routine didnt mean it to come accross that way

i will be writing to jo swinton (limp dems) my local msp about the issue of banning air rifles well with a little help as i am not the most articulate when it coming to penning a letter

[Strike Team]

My letter to Theresa May:

Quote

Dear Ms. May,
I am writing to you regarding the government's plans to transfer control of air guns from Westminster to Holyrood. I have enjoyed using air rifles for competitive Field Target shooting and hunting for many years. Indeed this hobby is particularly important to me as an M.E. sufferer, as my health precludes more active sports that I would like to enjoy, such as mountain biking and Judo.

The SNP proposes to introduce licencing of newly-purchased air rifles. This will cost the taxpayer a fortune, at a time when there is a desperate need to cut back every possible piece of non-essential government expenditure in order to start paying off the vast debts run up by the previous government. With many thousands of existing air guns in circulation, and the ability to purchase air guns freely in England and bring them over the border, this will do nothing to keep air guns out of the hands of the minority who abuse them. It will however make life more difficult for the great majority who use airguns for positive and lawful activities such as pest control, hunting and target shooting.

A far more effective response would be to hand down tough, deterrent sentences to those who criminally misuse guns to commit violent crime. Tough, deterrent sentencing cracked Glasgow's razor gang problem in the 1940's, there is little doubt in my mind that the same can be done with gun misuse.


Yours Sincerely

[Smudge]

They keep on banging on about the "special problem" when afaik Scotland has an improving record on airgun safety/legality. It's all about making headlines/scoring political points and has nothing whatsoever to do with the safety of the public.

When this first came out I wrote to four MP's and received ONE reply, the rest couldn't even be bothered answering. New lot in now though so time for me to waste more paper and stamps in the vain hope that I can find an honest one not a "career" politician

They should be relaxing the laws on legally held rifles and pistols and throwing the book at the offenders, the legislation is there to allow it, but as always it much easier to bring in some laws to attack the law abiding, make a song and dance in the papers, and ignore the thugs and gangsters who are doing the damage. Typical lazy, ignorant, arrogant, politics, go for the easiest option and who cares about the outcome. unless a politician gets hurt by an illegal gun nothing will be done
I'll stop now because there are rules about the language allowed on the forum...

[Jamo]

Dear Mr Bonzer

Thanks for your e mail. I note the Minister is talking about new airguns and not those currently in ownership. Until we see details of what he is proposing it is difficult to give you an answer. However, I will consult with my colleagues who look after the Justice portfolio to see what if anything they are considering and will get back to you in due course.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Regards



David Whitton MSP
Strathkelvin & Bearsden
78 Townhead, Kirkintilloch G66 1NZ
Tel/Fax 0141 777 9299
Scottish Parliament EH99 1SP
Tel 0131 348 6747 Fax 0131 348 6748
David.Whitton.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

[Jamo]

And from the limp damps


Dear Mr Bonzer



Thank you for your e-mail.



I will endeavour to send you a more detailed reply as swiftly as possible. However, if you require any urgent assistance, please do not hesitate to telephone the office on 0141 762 2209.



Yours sincerely,



Jo Swinson MP