Fresh bid to take control of gun laws

Published on Sunday 5 July 2009 22:12

SCOTLAND'S justice secretary has upped the pressure on Westminster to devolve control over firearms in a letter to new Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

Kenny MacAskill has urged Mr Johnson to grant Scotland complete control over firearms legislation, after a top-level commission advised the rules surrounding airguns only should be passed to Holyrood.

The move emerged as the Scottish Government launched a fresh campaign to highlight the dangers of airguns.

The campaign will include website adverts, posters and leaflets, and comes at the height of summer when use of firearms traditionally is at its highest.

A similar campaign earlier in the year saw more than 130,000 plays of the internet "viral" advert and almost 15,000 visits to the campaign website.

Mr MacAskill said: "Airguns are not toys, but weapons that can kill and maim. There have been tragedies that have caused pain and injury to children and animals. That's why we believe that action must be taken.

"We have been working closely with our police forces – and they've told us that long summer days, light evenings and school holidays mean that incidents peak in the summer months.

"That's why we've decided to run another burst of our successful campaign to highlight the dangers of airgun misuse."

Mr MacAskill said that there would be "no let-up" on the SNP's campaign to reform gun laws.

Last month, Sir Kenneth Calman, chairman of a commission set up to examine devolution, advised Scotland should get powers to regulate airguns. But Mr MacAskill insists the move would not go far enough.

"While I do welcome the recommendations from the Calman Commission that the law on airguns should be devolved, I believe all firearms legislation should be included.

"We need a firearms system that is consistent, easier to understand and enforce: not the current muddled legislation.

"I've written to the new Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, urging him to devolve firearms law in its entirety. This will enable us to put a system in place that meets Scotland's needs.

"That can help us protect Scottish communities. Until it happens, we'll continue to do what we can to educate Scots about the dangers of these weapons."

Calls for a ban on airguns have grown since the death of two-year-old Andrew Morton, who was shot with a pellet near his home in Glasgow in 2005.