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| Statistical Bulletin - Criminal Justice Series |
| Firearm Certificates Statistics, Scotland, 1997 |
| 5. Firearm dealers (Tables 5 and 6) Number of firearm dealers registered and new applications (Table 5) 5.1 At 31 December 1997, 313 dealers were registered to sell firearms compared with 319 in 1996. The total number of new applications for registration fell for the fourth consecutive year. In 1997, new applications for registration as dealers were granted in 12 cases, 3 fewer than in 1996 and a quarter of the number of new registrations granted in 1993 (48). No new applications were refused in 1997. Analysis by police force area (Table 6) 5.2 In 1997, 24 dealers had their request for renewal of their registration granted compared to 35 in 1996 and 233 in 1995. There were no dealers who had their application for the renewal of their registration refused. It should be noted that the number of dealers renewing their registration in any one year varies according to the duration of the firearm dealer's registration (Section 13 of the 1988 Act increased the registration period for dealers from 1 to 3 years). 6. Visitors' Permits (Table 7) 6.1 The Firearms Acts (Amendment) Regulations 1992 which came into force on 1 January 1993 amended firearms legislation in the United Kingdom to meet the requirement of the EC Weapons Directive which controls the acquisition and possession of weapons in EC Member states. In 1998 the Directive’s provisions are to be reviewed by the European Commission. 6.2 Information on the number of applications for Visitors' Permits from EC and non-EC residents was collected centrally for the first time in 1994. In 1997 there were a total of 4,152 applications for a Visitors' Permit from EC and non-EC residents for a firearm (down from 4,194 in 1996) and 6,449 applications for a shot gun (up from 5,858 in 1996). Tayside police accounted for 44 per cent of the total number of applications for a shot gun permit while 28 per cent of the number of applications for a firearm permit were made in Northern Constabulary. 7. European Firearm Passes (Table 8) 7.1 Similar to Visitors' Permits, information on the number of applications for a European Firearm Pass has been collected centrally since 1994. In 1997, the total number of European Firearm Passes on issue at 31 December was 379 compared to 368 in 1996. Strathclyde police recorded the highest number of passes on issue (126) and both Fife and Northern Constabulary the lowest (25). Lothian & Borders police accounted for the lowest number of new applications for a European Firearm Pass (8 per cent of all new applications) and the highest number of renewal applications for a European Firearm Pass (38 per cent of all renewals). Chart 5 Number of European Firearm Passes on issue at 31 December, 1997 
8. Article 7 Authorities 8.1 From January 1993 any EC resident who wants to buy or acquire a category B firearm (e.g. short and semi-automatic rifles, carbines and smooth bore guns, including repeating) in another EC State must, unless they are exempt under the EC Firearms Directive, be able to show that they have the agreement of the authority within their state of residence to purchase or acquire a firearm in another EC State. This agreement is obtained from the local Chief Officer for the area in which they reside and is called an Article 7 authority. 8.2 Information relating to the authority of a person to purchase or acquire a firearm/shot gun when in another EC State was first collected centrally in 1994. The number of such applications granted is small; four in 1994, three in 1995, none in 1996 and one application in 1997. |
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