Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 23 April 2015
23 Apr 2015 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
As the committee convener mentioned, I came somewhat late to the bill, having joined the committee in November last year. However, I pay tribute to the many witnesses who contributed to the stage 1 proceedings whether by appearing before the committee or providing written evidence. I also thank the many organisations and stakeholders that submitted briefings for today’s proceedings.
It has been mentioned that the bill is broad and diverse, and that many topics fall within its remit. I suspect that I will not be able to cover all the areas in the bill, although I hope to link them because my main concern is about safety. Every committee member and everyone in the chamber wants to see safer and healthier communities. I am sure that we all agree that that is the outcome that we would want from the intended changes.
I thought that there was more consensus on the committee. I am surprised that the Conservatives have chosen to abstain in the vote, because all committee members agreed the stage 1 report. Indeed, there did not seem to be much contention about it at the time.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is a debate on motion S4M-12994, in the name of Michael Matheson, on the Air Weapons and Licensing ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Michael Matheson)
SNP
I am happy to open this stage 1 debate on the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill. I thank my colleague and predecessor Kenny MacAskill, who brought f...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
It is my pleasure to speak on behalf of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee. The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill is an important and ne...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
I understand that, when the committee undertook its scrutiny, Police Scotland was able to give statistics on airgun crime from April to July 2014, but that t...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
We had information and data from a number of years about air weapons offences. We are all far too aware of the deaths and injuries that have taken place and ...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
Labour supports the principles that are set out in the policy memorandum to the bill. We will support the bill at stage 1 today, and we are keen to work with...
Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con)
Con
The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill covers a wide range of matters. As such, consideration of a broad range of principles is required, and I will t...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Does Mr Buchanan recognise that we are talking not about the licensing of individual weapons but about the licensing of individuals, and that, in the course ...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
Is there any evidence that licensing will reduce those instances? I am not sure about that. Some people will want to intervene but, at any rate, criminal mis...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
The member has again fallen into the same trap about the licensing of individual weapons. We are not talking about the licensing of each individual weapon; w...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
Yes, I know that—thank you very much. Making everyone who wants to own or use an airgun apply for a licence is certainly not targeted. Why should innocent u...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
As the committee convener mentioned, I came somewhat late to the bill, having joined the committee in November last year. However, I pay tribute to the many ...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
Unfortunately, due to my relatively limited parliamentary experience, I did not realise the full implications of my acquiescence at stage 1, which was why I ...
Clare Adamson
SNP
Thank you for that explanation, Mr Buchanan. Alex Rowley talked about the bill’s complexity and said that bringing together so many items was a mistake. His...
Alex Fergusson
Con
I totally agree that the type of crime to which Clare Adamson referred is utterly unacceptable in any society, but can she tell me what evidence she heard at...
Clare Adamson
SNP
I was at the committee when the police gave evidence and spoke of their frustration at their inability to address airguns in premises where they suspected th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Just a little bit.
Clare Adamson
SNP
I shall just mention the taxi app situation. There was a lot of talk about the changes in technology and, as a technologist, I was interested in that. Only l...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
I add my thanks to everyone who has contributed to getting the bill to this stage and who has provided us with excellent evidence and briefings. Like Clare A...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Will the member give way?
Cara Hilton
Lab
I have no time, sorry. The issue is absolutely vital, because the campaign’s research has found that 75 per cent of girls and young women aged 11 to 21 and ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I have indicated that there is a little bit of time in hand for interventions. It is, of course, up to members whether they want to take interventions. Howev...
Gil Paterson (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
I share all the views that Cara Hilton has expressed with regard to broadcasting explicit scenes or posting them on the internet. Unfortunately, the Parliame...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
I am not a member of any of the committees that have considered the bill and will focus my contribution on three areas. The first is air weapons. I have no...
Colin Keir (Edinburgh Western) (SNP)
SNP
I am not a member of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee but I thank it for producing the report, which is welcome. I will restrict my comments ...
Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
I apologise for being a minute late at the start of proceedings. I have no good reason at all for that; my legs just did not get me here quickly enough. I h...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the Local Government and Regeneration Committee for its scrutiny of the bill and the attention that it has paid to all the submissions, including min...
Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
The bill is wide ranging and far reaching, and it is important that it is subject to scrupulous scrutiny in the Parliament. The scale of the bill’s ambition,...
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I add to those of our Local Government and Regeneration Committee convener, and other members who have spoken so far, my thanks to the many people and organi...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I will speak specifically about section 68 of the bill, which will introduce a licensing regime for sexual entertainment venues such as lap-dancing clubs. I ...