Committee
Local Government and Regeneration Committee 25 February 2015
25 Feb 2015 · S4 · Local Government and Regeneration Committee
Item of business
Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
The committee has discussed how we could get individual markings on air weapons. We hope that the Scottish Government will look at some way of having individual air weapons marked so that, given that people register for an air weapons licence, weapons can be identified and traced to an individual owner. Most of the production of air weapons takes place outwith the United Kingdom and most manufacturers do not put individual identifiers on weapons as they are manufactured. However, it would be useful if we could get some consideration of the marking of the individual air weapons that registered holders register with the police so that, if there are any incidents involving them, the police can easily identify the owner.
In the same item of business
The Convener
SNP
Agenda item 2 is our ninth and final oral evidence session on the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill. We will take evidence from the Cabinet Secretary...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Michael Matheson)
No, convener. I am happy to move straight to questions.
The Convener
SNP
That is grand. It has been suggested that the introduction of a licensing regime for air weapons will do nothing to reduce criminality or increase public sa...
Michael Matheson
I do not necessarily agree with that because, as a result of creating the licensing provision, we require individuals who wish to have, or have, an air weapo...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you.
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Inevitably, comparisons have been made between the licensing of shotguns and what has been proposed, and there is certainly a great expectation among people ...
Michael Matheson
There are slightly different provisions for shotguns and for firearms. All firearms have to have a registration number on them, but not all shotguns do, and ...
John Wilson (Central Scotland) (Ind)
Ind
Good morning, cabinet secretary. Will you clarify the position with shotgun licensing? My understanding is that it is not the individual shotgun that is lice...
Michael Matheson
Yes. That is my understanding. As I mentioned, the serial numbering of shotguns is different from that of firearms.
John Wilson
Ind
The committee has discussed how we could get individual markings on air weapons. We hope that the Scottish Government will look at some way of having individ...
Michael Matheson
I fully understand where Mr Wilson is coming from on the issue. The challenge is to create a system that does not lend itself to being misused. The benefit o...
John Wilson
Ind
I move on to the cost of applying for a licence. We know that the Scottish Government is keen to go for full cost recovery, and that the UK Government is con...
Michael Matheson
Not necessarily. To be clear, we do not control the setting of the fees that are charged for firearms and shotguns, both of which are £50. The Home Office is...
John Wilson
Ind
Are you, or is anyone in your department, involved in negotiations with the Home Office regarding the setting of fees for firearms and shotguns? You said tha...
Michael Matheson
We have indicated to the Home Office that we believe there should be an increase in the fees for firearms and shotguns. Ultimately, it is for the Home Office...
Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Good morning, cabinet secretary. We are concerned about group licences for triathlon clubs and so on that use airguns off premises. It is not very clear, but...
Michael Matheson
I will try to clarify that and then ask officials to give some more detail on specific aspects of the bill. The general approach is for not only the club to...
Keith Main (Scottish Government)
The bill contains a reference to the approval of clubs. Next month, we will meet the Scottish Target Shooting Federation and the Scottish Air Rifle and Pisto...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
My question was actually about a situation in which someone shoots for a shooting club at a match, tetrathlon or whatever in premises in, say, Carlisle or so...
Keith Main
We are talking to the clubs about how exactly that would work, and our thinking is that, as we work through the issue with the federation and other organisat...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
Thank you very much.
Michael Matheson
It might be helpful if I explain that part of the reason for putting some of these things in secondary legislation is to allow us to tweak the system in resp...
The Convener
SNP
That was useful, cabinet secretary. Thank you.
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
Let us return to the resourcing of the bill. It has been suggested that the introduction of the licensing scheme will have a significant impact on the resour...
Michael Matheson
We have discussed with Police Scotland the best way in which we can manage what will be a significant increase in the number of licences that will have to be...
Cara Hilton
Lab
I have a wee supplementary question. The cabinet secretary has hinted at an answer in his response. Police Scotland has suggested a number of steps that wou...
Michael Matheson
If there is a reasonable way in which we can achieve that. Some of the provisions on the commencement of different aspects of the bill can assist us in achie...
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
SNP
Good morning, cabinet secretary. Let us turn briefly to the issue of people who fail to get a licence and who perhaps go on to commit further offences with a...
Michael Matheson
Prosecution would be a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and the sanction that was applied would be a matter for the courts. I am re...
Willie Coffey
SNP
I suspect that you will say the same thing, but I will take the question further. Should a person, as you indicated in your opening remarks, commit an offenc...