Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Third Report - Firearms licensing regulations in Scotland
Scottish Affairs Committee
HC 710
Published 22 December 2022
Recommendations
34
Accepted in Part
There is potential for conjugal partners to play a vital role in assessing individuals’ suitability...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
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35
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the UK Government change the statutory guidance on firearms licensing to more...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
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75
Accepted in Part
GPs can place ‘flags’ on patients’ medical records to alert clinicians that individuals own firearms.187...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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.
Scotland Office
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78
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the UK Government and the Scottish Government work together to review the...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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.
Scotland Office
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82
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government work together to consult GPs on...
Recommendation
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’ …
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Government Response Summary
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.
Scotland Office
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92
Accepted in Part
Presently, there is no formal channel by which shooting organisations may raise concerns about their...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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.
Scotland Office
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94
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the UK Government and Scottish Government encourage and support the creation of...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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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6
Accepted in Part
Para 35
We recommend that the UK Government change the statutory guidance on firearms licensing to more...
Recommendation
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 Summary
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
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Conclusions (4)
29
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
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 conjugal partners, over a period of two years, and they …
Government Response Summary
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.
88
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
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 holders “will not consult with a GP or anybody else …
Government Response Summary
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.
90
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
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 any changes in each other’s mental health in a timely …
Government Response Summary
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.
5
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Para 34
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 - either by countersigning applications or (if this does not …
Government Response Summary
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.