SNP victory a step closer to airgun licensing regime

BASC has stressed its opposition to an airgun licensing regime in Scotland, following the Scottish National Party?s (SNP) victory in elections to the Scottish parliament.

The SNP manifesto states that any devolution of the power to create air weapon legislation should be used to create a licensing regime for all airguns so that only those with a legitimate reason, such as sport or pest control, will be able to own an airgun.

However, though Dr Colin Sheddon, director of BASC Scotland, reiterated BASC?s opposition to the plans, he welcomed the SNP?s commitment to include BASC members in a scheme to license airguns, should it be introduced.

He also questioned the need for a ballistics database, another measure championed during the SNP campaign, ?since the number of crimes committed with legally held firearms is almost non-existent.?

The rest of this article appears in 18th May issue of Shooting Times.

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