This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Firearms amnesty declared
02/03/2003
There will be a firearms amnesty in Scotland from March
31 to April 30, Scottish Ministers announced today.
The public will be urged to hand over illegally held
firearms without fear of prosecution in order to help
remove the weapons from circulation.
The amnesty will coincide with a similar initiative
taking place between the same dates in England and
Wales.
First Minister Jack McConnell said:
"The last gun amnesty, which followed the Dunblane
tragedy in 1996, saw 23,000 firearms surrendered in the UK.
That was 23,000 lethal weapons removed from circulation and
the possibility that they could ever cause serious
harm.
"I hope that the amnesty which begins later this month
will help rid our streets of more illegally held guns and
help improve public safety in Scotland.
"Both the police and our devolved Scottish Government
are committed to removing guns from our streets. I urge all
those who hold firearms illegally to get rid of them safely
during this amnesty."
Justice Minister Jim Wallace said:
"I hope the removal of the threat of prosecution will
encourage people to come forward and hand over illegal,
unregistered or unwanted firearms in their possession.
"The police will also be encouraging people to hand in
the replica guns and air guns that are used in many
firearms crimes in Scotland. These types of weapons are a
source of considerable concern in our communities and it is
in everyone's interest that there is less of them in
circulation."
The Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd QC, said:
"During the amnesty people who hand in illegal guns will
not be prosecuted for unlawful possession under the
Firearms Act 1968. I have issued an instruction to
Procurators Fiscal not to take proceedings for illegal
possession of firearms and shotguns. The immunity will not
cover other offences involving the use of firearms."
David Mellor, Deputy Chief Constable, Fife Constabulary
and Secretary of ACPOS General Purposes Committee,
said:
"Whilst firearms problems are less serious in Scotland
that elsewhere in the UK, ACPOS welcomes the opportunity to
contribute to making the forthcoming amnesty a success by
removing firearms from circulation and making Scotland
safer."
The last national firearms amnesty in 1996 (following
Dunblane) saw 23,000 firearms and 70,000 rounds of
ammunition surrendered. An amnesty in 1988 (following
Hungerford) saw 48,000 firearms and 1.7 million rounds of
ammunition handed in.
The level of immunity to be offered is limited to the
simple illegal possession offences for firearms and
shotguns.
These are offences under Section 1(1) (firearms), 2(1)
(shotguns), 5(1) and 5(1)A (prohibited weapons) of the
Firearms Act 1968 as amended.
The immunity will not cover other offences involving the
use of firearms. The police will be able to check
surrendered weapons to decide whether a firearms merits
forensic examination, although it is expected that the vast
majority of weapons handed over will be destroyed.