Jacqui Smith rejected the suggestion that an outright ban on the sale and use of airguns in Scotland was necessary.
By Selena Masson, Shooting Times
Tuesday, 04 March 2008
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has rejected calls for an airgun ban in Scotland.
In a reply to calls by the Scottish Government’s justice secretary, Scottish Nationalist Kenny MacAskill, for the minister to co-host a national firearms summit in May, Mrs Smith sent a letter dismissing the need for a review of the 1968 Firearms Act, stating that a summit would not be timely.
She rejected the suggestion that an outright ban on the sale and use of airguns in Scotland was necessary. Mr MacAskill accused the Home Secretary of “acting complacently” on the matter.
A Home Office spokesman justified the Home Secretary’s response, saying: “Laws around firearms are under constant review. We will not hesitate to introduce legislation whenever necessary.”
Colin Shedden, director of BASC Scotland, welcomed the Westminster Government’s unified approach to firearms legislation. He told Shooting Times:
“BASC Scotland agrees that it makes more sense for firearms legislation to be uniform across Great Britain rather than having the potential of cross-border difficulties.
With respect to airguns we have always advocated that enforcement of existing legislation and education is the best way to address any problems.”
The rest of this article appears in 6 March issue of Shooting Times.
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