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Select Committee · Scottish Affairs Committee

Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland

Status: Closed Opened: 23 Sep 2022 Closed: 17 Oct 2023 27 recommendations 75 conclusions 1 report

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 detail about the inquiry.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland HC 710 22 Dec 2022 102 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
72 Conclusion Third Report - Firearms licensing regul… Accepted

Medical assessments for firearms licence holders were being carried out in Scotland for several years...

Medical assessments for firearms licence holders were being carried out in Scotland for several years before they were statutorily introduced in the UK. Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice for the Scottish Government, stated that Police Scotland have undertaken “mental health checks… going back to 2016”180, while Rt Hon. …

Government response. The government highlighted the significant strengthening of medical checks, including the digital firearms marker in England, and stated their readiness to work with the Scottish Government if they decide to introduce the digital marker in Scotland. Also, they are consulting …
Scotland Office
93 Conclusion Third Report - Firearms licensing regul… Accepted

Encouraging shooting organisations to have formal buddy initiatives may also create spaces in which firearms...

Encouraging shooting organisations to have formal buddy initiatives may also create spaces in which firearms licence holders feel comfortable with discussing their mental health. This could be an important way to help improve individuals’ mental health, so that it does not become problematic for them or for public safety - …

Government response. The government has been working with the police and shooting representative bodies to bring greater definition to the role of gun club liaison officers and intends to highlight this revised role and explore whether this model might be applied more …
Scotland Office
101 Conclusion Third Report - Firearms licensing regul… Accepted

We are concerned by the reports we heard about the impacts of fatal shootings which...

We are concerned by the reports we heard about the impacts of fatal shootings which take place in rural communities in Scotland. It is clear to us that these communities should be provided with appropriate support where needed.

Government response. The government noted the committee's recommendation and is consulting on whether and how a similar form of leaflet on mental health could return to more in-person face to face delivery, activity can still be delivered via remote technologies and that …
Scotland Office
102 Recommendation Third Report - Firearms licensing regul… Accepted

We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government work together either to put mental...

We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government work together either to put mental health resources like counselling in place in remote rural communities, or to ensure that mental health resources can be easily accessed in rural communities when tragedies involving firearms occur. 239 Q66 240 Q37 32 Firearms …

Government response. The government noted the committee's recommendation and is consulting on whether and how a similar form of leaflet on mental health could return to more in-person face to face delivery, activity can still be delivered via remote technologies and that …
Scotland Office

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
21 Nov 2022 Nick Hunt · Home Office, Rt Hon Chris Philp MP · Home Office View ↗
31 Oct 2022 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 View ↗
24 Oct 2022 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 View ↗

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
16 May 2023 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and F…
21 Feb 2023 To cttee Letter from the Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister of State for Crime, Policing a…
7 Feb 2023 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and F…
19 Dec 2022 To cttee Letter from Humza Yousaf MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care at S…
6 Dec 2022 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, the Rt Hon Chri…