Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Deferred
Secondly, we heard concerns about the language used in the legislation and statutory guidance.
Recommendation
Secondly, we heard concerns about the language used in the legislation and statutory guidance. Police Scotland told us that subjective language like “intemperate habits” or “unfitted to be entrusted with a firearm” caused potential for different police forces to interpret legislation differently.25
Government Response Summary
The government is consulting on whether and how a similar form of leaflet on mental health could be made available throughout the United Kingdom and has been in discussion with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland about the work already undertaken in Scotland.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The UK Government has noted the Committee’s recommendation in relation to advertising avenues to mental health support for the shooting community and also the points made about the particular challenges faced by rural communities traumatised by fatal shootings, recommending that the UK and Scottish Governments work together to provide more mental health resources in these areas or that could be easily accessed when tragedies involving firearms happen. The Scottish Affairs Committee recommended that the Government should support the shooting community in advertising avenues to mental health support, to build on the recent release of leaflets in Scotland about mental health in that community, and that the UK and Scottish Government work together to support the distribution of materials such as the mental health leaflets produced by shooting organisations. We are consulting and would welcome views on this recommendation as to whether and how a similar form of leaflet on mental health could be made available throughout the United Kingdom, and we have been in discussion with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland about the work already undertaken in Scotland.