Wednesday 07 May 2008 @ 12:56
Scottish Government
Scottish Government
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Firearms summit
Police, gun control campaigners and shooting representatives are gathering at the First Minister's official residence, Bute House, today to discuss how to tackle the misuse of firearms.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who will chair the firearms summit, organised the meeting amid increasing public concern about the misuse of such weapons, including airguns, in communities across the country.
Recorded firearms casualties in Scotland rose by a quarter in 2006-07 - one in three of them children and 58 per cent involving air weapons. Cases of attempted murder involving firearms were almost three times that of a decade ago.
Mr Salmond said:
"Recorded firearms casualties in Scotland rose by a quarter last year - one in three of them children and 58 per cent involving airguns. Cases of attempted murder involving firearms, though uncommon, were almost three times that of a decade ago. Clearly the time has come to take action on firearms - to look afresh at the legislation and put public safety is at its core.
"Current legislation is a guddle, amended and extended over 40 years. While we have supported changes to the law passed at Westminster, so far as they go, what we need is a spring-clean not a sticking-plaster. We want to start again - to produce an unambiguous, modern and enforceable system that protects the people of Scotland.
"It is the duty of any Government to safeguard its people. That's why we have sought the removal of Westminster reservation on firearms to allow us to legislate for Scotland. Home Office refusal will not stop us from taking a constructive approach. We can not be complacent - communities are crying out for tough action.
"Today we are bringing together a wide range of people to find agreement about what measures we can take to make our society safer. What unites everyone around the table is the acknowledgement that more can be done and more needs to be done. By continuing our consultative, can-do approach to government I know that together we can find new ways to better protect the public and respond to the serious threat of firearms."
Mr MacAskill added:
"We are determined to protect those communities where the continuing misuse firearms, including airguns, is damaging lives and damaging the peace and security that everyone deserves.
"We need to enact laws but also change attitudes. Enforce legislation and educate people - all of which we will consider in the summit.
"The 1968 Firearms Act has been amended countless times - changes having been bolted on through a raft of Acts and regulations over four decades.
"There is considerable support, including among police who must enforce this complex framework, for a modern firearms Act that is simpler to understand, administer and enforce and which places prime importance on public safety.
"When the Parliament debated this issue in January MSPs across the chamber also made clear their view that both Governments should work together and that the existing regime needs to be reviewed.
"Clearly there are legitimate uses for firearms and we do not want to impede on those - indeed they too can benefit from a reformed regulatory regime.
"But we must respond to the demands for action to remove these weapons from our streets, as well to tackle the mindset of those who carry them without any good reason.
"We appreciate the involvement of all of the summit participants and I sincerely hope we can help re-energise the debate started by Home Office in 2004 and pave the way for both stronger legislation and non-legislative measures to tackle the problem."
Participants include:
* Deputy Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson, firearms licensing portfolio lead, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos)
* Detective Chief Superintendent William Prendergast (Strathclyde Police)
* Cllr Harry McGuigan, Community Wellbeing & Safety spokesman
* Mr Mike Callaghan, Community Resourcing, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla)
* Dr Colin Shedden, British Association of Shooting and Conservation
* Dr Mick North, Gun Control Network
* John Dunn, Deputy Crown Agent, Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service
* Sheriff Kevin Drummond, Jedburgh Sheriff Court
* Alex Boyd, Scottish Target Shooting Federation
* Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn, Scottish SPCA
The four main opposition parties have also been invited to attend.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who will chair the firearms summit, organised the meeting amid increasing public concern about the misuse of such weapons, including airguns, in communities across the country.
Recorded firearms casualties in Scotland rose by a quarter in 2006-07 - one in three of them children and 58 per cent involving air weapons. Cases of attempted murder involving firearms were almost three times that of a decade ago.
Mr Salmond said:
"Recorded firearms casualties in Scotland rose by a quarter last year - one in three of them children and 58 per cent involving airguns. Cases of attempted murder involving firearms, though uncommon, were almost three times that of a decade ago. Clearly the time has come to take action on firearms - to look afresh at the legislation and put public safety is at its core.
"Current legislation is a guddle, amended and extended over 40 years. While we have supported changes to the law passed at Westminster, so far as they go, what we need is a spring-clean not a sticking-plaster. We want to start again - to produce an unambiguous, modern and enforceable system that protects the people of Scotland.
"It is the duty of any Government to safeguard its people. That's why we have sought the removal of Westminster reservation on firearms to allow us to legislate for Scotland. Home Office refusal will not stop us from taking a constructive approach. We can not be complacent - communities are crying out for tough action.
"Today we are bringing together a wide range of people to find agreement about what measures we can take to make our society safer. What unites everyone around the table is the acknowledgement that more can be done and more needs to be done. By continuing our consultative, can-do approach to government I know that together we can find new ways to better protect the public and respond to the serious threat of firearms."
Mr MacAskill added:
"We are determined to protect those communities where the continuing misuse firearms, including airguns, is damaging lives and damaging the peace and security that everyone deserves.
"We need to enact laws but also change attitudes. Enforce legislation and educate people - all of which we will consider in the summit.
"The 1968 Firearms Act has been amended countless times - changes having been bolted on through a raft of Acts and regulations over four decades.
"There is considerable support, including among police who must enforce this complex framework, for a modern firearms Act that is simpler to understand, administer and enforce and which places prime importance on public safety.
"When the Parliament debated this issue in January MSPs across the chamber also made clear their view that both Governments should work together and that the existing regime needs to be reviewed.
"Clearly there are legitimate uses for firearms and we do not want to impede on those - indeed they too can benefit from a reformed regulatory regime.
"But we must respond to the demands for action to remove these weapons from our streets, as well to tackle the mindset of those who carry them without any good reason.
"We appreciate the involvement of all of the summit participants and I sincerely hope we can help re-energise the debate started by Home Office in 2004 and pave the way for both stronger legislation and non-legislative measures to tackle the problem."
Participants include:
* Deputy Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson, firearms licensing portfolio lead, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos)
* Detective Chief Superintendent William Prendergast (Strathclyde Police)
* Cllr Harry McGuigan, Community Wellbeing & Safety spokesman
* Mr Mike Callaghan, Community Resourcing, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla)
* Dr Colin Shedden, British Association of Shooting and Conservation
* Dr Mick North, Gun Control Network
* John Dunn, Deputy Crown Agent, Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service
* Sheriff Kevin Drummond, Jedburgh Sheriff Court
* Alex Boyd, Scottish Target Shooting Federation
* Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn, Scottish SPCA
The four main opposition parties have also been invited to attend.
