Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland

Scottish Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 23 Sep 2022 Closed: 17 Oct 2023 Parliament page
Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland The Committee will be inquiring into firearms licensing regulations and their impact in Scotland. We want to hear about whether current arrangements around firearms licenses are appropriate, or whether changes to those arrangements (including legislation) should be made. Read the call for evidence for more … Read more
27 Recommendations
75 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
5 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 14 events
5 Jul
2023
Report published
16 May
2023
Correspondence
21 Feb
2023
Correspondence
7 Feb
2023
Correspondence
22 Dec
2022
Report published
19 Dec
2022
Correspondence
19 Dec
2022
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
6 Dec
2022
Correspondence
21 Nov
2022
Oral evidence
21 Nov
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
31 Oct
2022
Oral evidence
31 Oct
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
21 Nov 2022
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Nick Hunt · Home Office Rt Hon Chris Philp MP · Home Office
31 Oct 2022
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Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs · Police Scotland Jamie MacQueen · Scottish Government Keith Brown MSP · Scottish Government Paul Allen · Scottish Government Superintendent Steven Duncan · Police Scotland
24 Oct 2022
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Dr Colin Shedden · British Association for Shooting and Conservation Dr Michael North · Gun Control Network Fraser Lamb · Scottish Association for Country Sports Gordon Matheson · Free Church of Scotland
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland HC 710 22 Dec 2022 102 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
12 results
Clear
29 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
We have heard suggestions that the referee system could be made more robust, if certain...
We have heard suggestions that the referee system could be made more robust, if certain people close to applicants could provide information about their suitability to own firearms. For example, in Canada, firearms licence applicants must provide details of their … Read more
Government Response
The government is seeking views on interviewing partners and household members with a record of violence and will look again at making the advice on domestic abuse clearer and emphasise the need to interview partners, relatives, and possibly former partners, if there are allegations of domestic abuse against the certificate holder/applicant, with the intention of publishing a further version of the Statutory Guidance by the end of 2023.
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34 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
There is potential for conjugal partners to play a vital role in assessing individuals’ suitability...
There is potential for conjugal partners to play a vital role in assessing individuals’ suitability to own firearms. In Canada’s firearms licensing system, conjugal partners play a key role in assessing whether applicants are fit to be entrusted with firearm … Read more
Government Response
The government is seeking views on interviewing partners/household members with a record/allegations of violence, will look again at advice on domestic abuse, and intends to publish a further version of the Statutory Guidance by the end of 2023.
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35 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
We recommend that the UK Government change the statutory guidance on firearms licensing to more...
We recommend that the UK Government change the statutory guidance on firearms licensing to more strongly recommend that police forces involve present and former conjugal partners in the application and renewal process. Echoing the system used in Canada, this could … Read more
Government Response
The government will seek views in a consultation paper on interviewing partners and household members with a record or allegations of violence, and will look at clarifying advice on domestic abuse, with the intention to publish a further version of the Statutory Guidance by the end of 2023.
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75 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
GPs can place ‘flags’ on patients’ medical records to alert clinicians that individuals own firearms.187...
GPs can place ‘flags’ on patients’ medical records to alert clinicians that individuals own firearms.187 Both policy experts advocating gun control and shooting associations have expressed concern that the flagging system is inadequate. Professor Peter Squires, Professor Emeritus of Criminology … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government acknowledges the recommendation and highlights the development of a new digital firearms marker in England, offering to work with the Scottish Government if they decide to introduce a similar marker in Scotland; they are also seeking views on interim checks.
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78 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
We recommend that the UK Government and the Scottish Government work together to review the...
We recommend that the UK Government and the Scottish Government work together to review the GP flagging system. This review could address issues including communication between medical practitioners and the police, and problems which arise when firearms owners move medical … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government acknowledges the recommendation and highlights the development of a new digital firearms marker in England, offering to work with the Scottish Government if they decide to introduce a similar marker in Scotland; they are also seeking views on interim checks.
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82 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government work together to consult GPs on...
We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government work together to consult GPs on whether GPs’ engagement with the firearms licensing process should be made mandatory. GPs’ compulsory engagement may help GPs to flag health issues affecting firearms owners’ … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government stands ready to work with the Scottish Government if they decide to introduce the digital marker to GP surgeries in Scotland and will work with the Scottish Government, if it decides that it wishes to adopt a similar digital marker in Scotland.
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88 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
We heard concerns that firearms owners might not inform authority figures that they are suffering...
We heard concerns that firearms owners might not inform authority figures that they are suffering from poor mental health for fear of repercussions. For example, Dr Michael North, a founding member of the Gun Control Network, stated that firearms licence … Read more
Government Response
The government is consulting on the 'buddy' initiatives recommendation and is working with police and shooting bodies to define the role of gun club liaison officers, intending to explore whether this model can be applied more widely to other shooting clubs.
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90 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
For this reason, it may be advisable to set up more formal ‘buddy’ initiatives within...
For this reason, it may be advisable to set up more formal ‘buddy’ initiatives within shooting organisations. This could involve each member of a shooting organisation having a ‘buddy’ with whom they check in regularly - allowing buddies to notice … Read more
Government Response
The government is consulting on the 'buddy' initiatives recommendation and is working with police and shooting bodies to define the role of gun club liaison officers, intending to explore whether this model can be applied more widely to other shooting clubs.
Scotland Office
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92 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
Presently, there is no formal channel by which shooting organisations may raise concerns about their...
Presently, there is no formal channel by which shooting organisations may raise concerns about their members with the police. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Spiers, Strategic Firearms Commander for Police Scotland, noted that, at the moment, “[t]here is a great responsibility … Read more
Government Response
The government is consulting on 'buddy' initiatives and intends to highlight the revised role for gun club liaison officers, and explore whether this model might be applied more widely to other shooting clubs.
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94 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government encourage and support the creation of...
We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government encourage and support the creation of ‘buddy’ initiatives for firearms owners. Buddy initiatives could be integrated into shooting organisations, workplaces and sporting clubs. Buddy initiatives would enable individuals to recognise and … Read more
Government Response
The government is consulting on 'buddy' initiatives and will work with police and shooting bodies to highlight the revised role for gun club liaison officers, and then explore whether and how this model might be applied more widely to other shooting clubs.
Scotland Office
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5 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
There is potential for conjugal partners to play a vital role in assessing individuals’ suitability...
There is potential for conjugal partners to play a vital role in assessing individuals’ suitability to own firearms. In Canada’s firearms licensing system, conjugal partners play a key role in assessing whether applicants are fit to be entrusted with firearm … Read more
Government Response
The government is seeking views on interviewing partners/household members with a record/allegations of violence, will look again at advice on domestic abuse, and intends to publish a further version of the Statutory Guidance by the end of 2023.
Scotland Office
View details
6 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Firearms licensing …
We recommend that the UK Government change the statutory guidance on firearms licensing to more...
We recommend that the UK Government change the statutory guidance on firearms licensing to more strongly recommend that police forces involve present and former conjugal partners in the application and renewal process. Echoing the system used in Canada, this could … Read more
Government Response
The government will seek views in a consultation paper on interviewing partners and household members with a record or allegations of violence, and will look at clarifying advice on domestic abuse, with the intention to publish a further version of the Statutory Guidance by the end of 2023.
Scotland Office
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 102 of 27 classified
Accepted 4
Accepted in Part 12
Acknowledged 30
Deferred 48
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 7
Total 27 recs + 75 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
16 May 2023 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire at the Home Office on firearms licensing regulations in Scotland, dated 5 May 2023.
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21 Feb 2023 To committee Letter from the Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire at the Home Office on the publication of the first revision of the Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police on firearms licensing, dated 9 February 2023
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7 Feb 2023 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire at the Home Office on firearms licensing regulations in Scotland, dated 30 January 2023
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19 Dec 2022 To committee Letter from Humza Yousaf MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care at Scottish Government on follow-up to evidence session on 31 October 2022 on Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland, dated 12 December 2022
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6 Dec 2022 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, the Rt Hon Chris Philp MP in follow up to his appearance at the Scottish Affairs Select Committee inquiry into Firearms licensing on 21 November, dated 30 Nov 2022
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