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Firearms summit
30/04/2008
Senior police, gun control campaigners and rural and shooting representatives will be among those gathering in Edinburgh next week to discuss how to tackle the misuse of firearms.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will chair the firearms summit at Bute House, the First Minister's official residence, next Wednesday (May 7th) amid increasing public concern across Scotland about the misuse of such weapons.
Recorded firearms casualties in Scotland rose by a quarter to 247 in 2006-07 - one in three of them children and 58 per cent involving airguns. While still relatively uncommon, cases of attempted murder involving firearms were nearly three times that of a decade ago.
Mr MacAskill said:
"Communities across Scotland are demanding action to deal with the threat posed, and the damage caused by firearms on their streets.
"When the Scottish Parliament debated the issue in January there was agreement across the chamber that Holyrood and Westminster should work together to see what further can be done to tackle the misuse of firearms in our communities.
"We want to work constructively with a range of interests to examine how we can achieve a stronger, simpler and more readily enforceable firearms regime - one that both better protects the public and respects legitimate uses in properly controlled situations.
"I also hope to examine what non-legislative action we and others can take to help tackle this problem and ensure that gun crime doesn't get a grip on our communities.
"The Home Secretary declined my invitation to join us but I will be letting her know about the discussions and decisions that emerge from our summit and how we plan to proceed in tackling this issue of importance to our communities."
Organisations due to attend include: Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland; British Association for Shooting & Conservation; Convention of Scottish Local Authorities; Gun Control Network; Scottish Government Police & Community Safety Directorate; and Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.