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Capital backs MSPs over airgun control



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CITY councillors have voted to support the Scottish Government in its demand for more control over airguns.
An Edinburgh-wide ban on airguns has been ruled out, as expected, due to legal, practical and political difficulties.

Had the council voted to pursue a ban, proposed by former Labour councillor Trevor Davies last year, it would have needed the backing of the Westminster Government, rather than Scottish Ministers.

But Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has written to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, proposing that Scotland should pilot a licensing scheme on behalf of the UK to restrict airguns to those involved in pest control or shooting clubs.





The full article contains 111 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 August 2008 10:47 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Alan B,

07/08/2008 14:39:52
It is simply stupid not to make this a devolved issue. We are meant to have a separate legal system. Policing is run by the scottish parliament. But for some yet to be explained reason certain things like this are bizzarely reserved to westminster.

If we are going to have devolution and have a scottish parliament then it should have clear powers over areas like this.

When the next baby (or person) dies like before we have the simply ridiculous situation of the the scottish parliament saying we told you so, but were powerless to make changes.

As with running anything you need clear lines of responsibility.
2

A Friend of Fernando Poo,

07/08/2008 18:38:06
More kids are killed by cars than airguns, but there's no clamouring for a ban on cars. Suddenly the "if it saves just one child" mewling doesn't count when it comes to cars.

The problem is the *idiot* with the airgun, not the airgun. So legislate against the idiots rather than limit airguns to politically-correct uses.

If someone wants to plink beer cans off a wall and they're willing to see to public safety before they do so, they should be left in peace.

For once let's try to solve the actual problem rather than blame inanimate objects like a bunch of superstitious savages.
3

Coileach an taobh Tuath,

09/08/2008 09:40:39
2A Friend of Fernando Poo,07/08/2008 18:38:06

One of the stupidest comments I've ever read.

Shameful
4

Publius,

London 09/08/2008 13:53:15
#3

Fernando's friend has a point. As a nation we don't seem to have a good sense of risk. Children are far more likely to be killed by cars than airguns: we have one of the highest rates of child road casualties in Europe. But MSPs are worrying about airguns.
We worry too about strangers abducting and abusing children. But children are far more at risk from their mothers' partners than from strangers.


 

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