Recommendation 66

Superintendent Steven Duncan, Head of National Firearms and Explosives Licensing for Police Scotland, told us that, to obtain firearms licences, “you have been deemed to be fit to be entrusted, that you have had good reason for the possession of the firearm, and that that possession would be without danger to public safety”.169 By contrast, to obtain shotgun licences, Superintendent Duncan told us that “you still need to have good reason, but the only other additional requirement is that there is no additional risk in terms of public safety”.170 Moreover, Superintendent Duncan stated that even “the onus to demonstrate good reason for a firearm sits with the applicant, whereas, with the shotgun legislation, the onus is on the police to show that there is not good reason”.171