The Scottish government has announced a licensing bill that will bring airgun legislation to parliament in the 2013-14 session.
The government’s programme for Scotland, unveiled on 3 September, promises to “create an effective licensing regime for air weapons to
protect public safety.” This is the next step in the SNP’s long-held commitment to impose tighter restrictions on the estimated 500,000 airguns in Scotland.
Earlier this year a public consultation saw 87 per cent of respondents reject the notion of airgun licensing – but justice secretary Kenny MacAskill reaffirmed Holyrood’s commitment to the licensing programme.
Just hours before the bill was announced, Holyrood’s Public Petitions Committee chose to keep a petition against airgun licensing open, recognising the strength of feeling from the 21,000 who signed the petition among others.
Full story in the October issue of Gun Trade News.
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