Firearm Certificates Statistics, Scotland, 1998:CrJ/1999/5

3. Firearm certificates (Tables 1, 2 and 2A)

Number of firearm certificates on issue and new applications (Table 1)

3.1 At the end of 1998, 31,072 firearm certificates were on issue, a decrease of 22 on the number on issue at the end of 1997. During the mid-1980s there was a steady upward trend apparent in the number of firearm certificates on issue at each year end, reaching a peak of 38,465 in 1987. Following the implementation of the 1988 Act, the number of firearm certificates on issue fell by approximately 5,000 to 33,540 in 1989 and continued to fall in subsequent years, to number 31,382 in 1992. Between 1992 and 1995 the number of firearm certificates on issue at each year end increased slightly before falling again in 1996. The downward trend continued in 1997 and 1998. The total number of firearm certificates on issue at 31 December 1998 was the lowest figure ever recorded; partly attributable to the number of cancellations arising from the second hand-in period which took place during the year.

3.2 In 1998 permission was granted for 962 new firearm certificates, 329 less than the number in 1997 and the lowest recorded number of new applications granted. Over the ten year period 1989-1998 the annual number of applications for new firearm certificates decreased by 64 per cent, from 2,691 in 1989 - post the implementation of the 1988 Act - to 982 in 1998. Of the 982 applications for a new firearm certificate in 1998, 20 (2.0 per cent) were refused.

Number of firearm certificates cancelled, renewed, varied and revoked (Tables 2 and 2A)

3.3 Following the Dunblane incident in March 1996, legislative changes were made to the Firearms Act 1968. Section 5 of the 1968 Act (as amended by the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997) was changed to prohibit the possession of certain small firearms and, in particular, the prohibition of all large calibre handguns with effect from 1 October 1997. A further change to section 5 of the 1968 Act, resulting from the implementation of the Firearms (Amendment)(No.2) Act 1997, came into effect from 1 March 1998, prohibiting small calibre handguns. Further details of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and Firearms (Amendment)(No.2) Act 1997 are provided in Note 6 of the Annex.

3.4 In advance of the 1 October 1997 implementation date there was a hand-in period between 1 July and 30 September 1997 which enabled existing owners of any ‘soon to be’ prohibited firearms to hand them in to the police. In such cases the firearm certificate may have been cancelled or varied (no fee charged) depending on the number and type of firearms listed on the certificate. Alternatively, the certificate may still be in place with changes made only to the number of firearms held i.e. a large calibre handgun surrendered and certificate changed to include only the remaining other firearms. Similarly, during the second hand-in period, 1 February to 28 February 1998, firearm certificate holders were required to surrender all small calibre handguns. In the majority of cases the certificate was varied and not cancelled i.e. the holder replaced a small calibre handgun with another legitimate firearm.

3.5 In 1998 there were 918 cancellations of existing certificates (3.0 per cent when expressed as a proportion of the total number of firearm certificates on issue at 31 December 1997). This compares with 2,069 in 1997 (6.5 per when expressed as a percentage of the 1996 figure). In these circumstances the holder chooses not to (or fails to) renew their certificate. The reason for such a significant decrease in the number of cancellations is largely due to 1997 being a renewal year whereas 1998 was not i.e. in 1994 firearm certificates were valid for three years and required renewal in 1997, but with effect from December 1995 firearm certificates are valid for five years and therefore do not require renewal until December 2000. Certificates can be renewed on application for a further five years.

Chart 2 New applications and cancellations of firearm certificates, Scotland, 1993-1998

3.6 Because of this, in 1998 only 58 firearm certificates were renewed and 14 applications for renewal refused. In contrast, a total of 9,027 firearm certificates were renewed in 1997, about 81 per cent of the number of certificates due to expire (see Note 7 of the Annex for details of this calculation). Twenty-six applications for renewal were refused in 1997.

3.7 The number and types of firearm held on a certificate may be varied on application. A fee is charged where a variation increases the number of firearms authorised by the certificate (see Note 7 of the Annex). In 1998, 437 certificates were varied where a fee was charged, 1 per cent of the certificates on issue at the end of 1998. Similarly, 4 per cent of certificates were varied where no fee was charged.

3.8 Certificates may be revoked at any time if the Chief Constable decides that the holder should no longer be allowed to possess a firearm. In 1998, 61 certificates were revoked compared with 80 in 1997 and 86 in 1996. The 1996 figure was the highest number of revocations recorded in the 1990s. The 1998 figure represented 0.2 per cent of the total on issue at the end of the previous year.

Analysis by police force area (Table 2)

3.9 Over a quarter (8,097) of all firearm certificates on issue at the end of 1998 were in the Northern police force area, a similar proportion to that evident in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, as in the previous three years, Grampian and Strathclyde jointly accounted for a further third of the total. The number of firearm certificates on issue per head of population was highest in the Northern police force area (2,905 per 100,000 population) and lowest in Strathclyde (207 per 100,000 population).

3.10 Grampian Police recorded the highest number of applications granted for new firearm certificates in 1998 (a total of 192; 20 per cent of all applications granted). All forces, with the exception of Central Scotland Police, where numbers recorded remained the same, recorded a decrease in the number of new applications granted in 1998 when compared to the numbers recorded in 1997. The largest decreases occurred in the Fife and Tayside police force areas - down 63 per cent and 44 per cent respectively.

Chart 3 New applications for firearm and shot gun certificates granted, Scotland, 1989-1998

Number and type of weapon held on certificate

3.11 Following Lord Cullen's Inquiry into the Dunblane incident in 1996, there was a review of information requirements in relation to both firearm and shot gun certificates. As a result, a revised return was introduced with effect from 1 January 1998. This was sent to Chief Constables for completion. The main changes to the form included the addition of new categories on the reasons for revocation and the collection, for the first time, of information on the number of firearms and types of weapon held on certificates.

3.12 Table A below summarises the type of weapon and number of firearms covered by certificates on issue at 31 December 1998. A certificate allows the holder to either, possess or authorises them to purchase or acquire a weapon or a number of weapons. It is accepted that the total of 73,432 will include an element of double counting: two or more individuals may each hold a certificate that allows them to possess the same actual firearm.

(1.) Includes those weapons which were exempt from the Firearms (Amendment)(No 2) Act 1997 e.g. single shot humane killers, shot pistols, grade 1 starters, trophies of war, antique firearms and 'handguns' used by the SSPCA.
(2) Includes weapons such as section 5 firearms, tranquillising rifles etc.