Posted on 05/19/2008 9:30:45 AM PDT by neverdem
The Press Association
Justice minister Kenny MacAskill has stepped up calls for Westminster to take action to deal with the problem of air weapons in Scotland.
The minister said he would be contacting Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and making it clear that current legislation is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century.
He added that he would be seeking to put Scotland forward for pilot schemes with a view to getting tighter controls in air weapons across the whole of the UK.
Mr MacAskill was speaking after a firearms summit in Edinburgh, attended by police, shooting representatives and gun control campaigners.
These included Dr Mick North, whose daughter Sophie was among the 16 children killed in the Dunblane tragedy, and Sharon McMillan, whose two-year-old son Andrew Morton died after being hit with an airgun pellet near his Glasgow home.
Mr MacAskill said the meeting was "constructive" and spoke of the way forward from here to tackle Scotland's "significant problem" with guns.
He said he would be making representations to Ms Smith in the wake of the summit and added: "Action has to be taken."
On the issue of air weapons specifically, the minister indicated he would be happy for Scotland to lead the way in achieving reform.
He said: "I'm making it quite clear, as the cabinet secretary for justice, we would be happy to consider being the pilot scheme for appropriate matters that may allow us to seek to license air weapons and action."
Recorded firearms casualties in Scotland rose by a quarter in 2006-07 - one in three of them children and 58% involving air weapons. Cases of attempted murder involving firearms were almost three times that of a decade ago.
The Second Amendment, which protects the right to bear arms, should not be discussed in terms of hunting because it is more about protecting yourself, said Hallow, a 44-year veteran of the news industry.
Hoplophobia in all it’s glory.
Jesus H. Flapjacks... BB GUNS.
Can't even trust a Brit with a BB gun, evidently.
firearm = air wepaons = ???
Socialism on parade...better BLOAT before Nov...
The minister said he would be contacting Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and making it clear that current legislation is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century.
He added that he would be seeking to put Scotland forward for pilot schemes with a view to getting tighter controls in pointed sticks across the whole of the UK.
Mr MacAskill was speaking after a pointed sticks summit in Edinburgh, attended by police, pointed sticks representatives and pointed sticks control campaigners.
These included Dr Mick North, whose daughter Sophie was among the 16 children killed in the Dunblane tragedy, and Sharon McMillan, whose two-year-old son Andrew Morton died after being hit with a pointed stick near his Glasgow home.
Mr MacAskill said the meeting was "constructive" and spoke of the way forward from here to tackle Scotland's "significant problem" with pointed sticks.
He said he would be making representations to Ms Smith in the wake of the summit and added: "Action has to be taken."
On the issue of pointed sticks specifically, the minister indicated he would be happy for Scotland to lead the way in achieving reform.
He said: "I'm making it quite clear, as the cabinet secretary for justice, we would be happy to consider being the pilot scheme for appropriate matters that may allow us to seek to license pointed sticks and action."
Recorded pointed sticks casualties in Scotland rose by a quarter in 2006-07 - one in three of them children and 58% involving pointed sticks. Cases of attempted murder involving pointed sticks were almost three times that of a decade ago.
If they want to reduce crime and injuries, they should expel those members of the death cult who are enjoying the benefits of living in the UK.
Factory stuff for black rifles may become extinct in a hurry...lotsa shotshell and .22 in the early stocking stuffers too...
It's already getting hard to find and expensive. Most of my .223 rifles eat standard 55 gr FMJ just fine. I just need to stock up on boxes of bullets and more powder. The primers were getting very scarce a few months ago.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.