Executive secures action on airguns
8 Sep 05
Home Office set to announce licensing of sales
The Scottish Executive has secured the agreement of the Home Office to a crackdown on sales of air weapons, it is reported today.
Following talks between Jack McConnell, the First Minister, and Home Secretary Charles Clarke, it is understood that an announcement will be made that a retailer licensing scheme will be introduced via the current Violent Crime Reduction Bill.
The Executive has been under pressure to act since two year old Andrew Morton died after being shot with an airgun earlier this year. However firearms legislation is reserved to Westminster and Scottish Ministers have had to lobby their UK counterparts to act.
The proposals would involve airgun retailers having to obtain a police licence, and recording the details of every gun sold and its purchaser. This would effectively prevent air weapons being sold in shops other than specialist firearms dealers.