Pledge on airgun laws as Minister visits Fife
Kenny MacAskill
A STRENGTHENING and modernising of the laws around air-weapons remains a priority, the Scottish Justice Secretary has said on a recent visit to the Kingdom.
Mr MacAskill was speaking after a visit to Fife Constabulary headquarters where he met officers responsible for licensing firearms, as well as a local certificate holder.
The visit came in a week when powers to regulate air weapons transferred from Westminster to Holyrood under the Scotland Act.
Mr MacAskill said: “I was pleased to meet the team in Fife and learn about the valuable work it does.
“Its robust approach to licensing helps prevent firearms from being used in criminal ways, while I also welcomed the opportunity to hear a certificate holder’s perspective.
“My visit here comes at a time when powers over air weapons have now been devolved and I have repeatedly stated this Government’s commitment to strengthening air weapon law.”
The Scottish Government has set-up the Scottish Firearms Consultative Panel, which has already been working on proposals for introducing a new licensing regime for air weapons.
Mr MacAskill will chair a meeting of the panel this summer before the Scottish Government launches a consultation, based on the panel’s findings, by the end of the year.
“This Government believes that the law around unlicenced airguns is long overdue for reform,” he added.
“The Scottish Firearms Consultative Panel has been working on proposals for introducing a new licensing regime for air weapons and will continue to develop these proposals at the next meeting which I will chair.
“I look forward to receiving its final recommendations before launching a consultation later this year.”
Assistant Chief Constable Tom Ewing, who sits on the Scottish Firearms Consultative Panel and is the ACPOS firearms licensing lead, said: “I welcome the visit by the Cabinet Secretary to see at first hand how police officers and staff in firearms licensing across Scotland work to ensure the safety of the public.”
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Weather for Kirkcaldy
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 12 C
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