Powers sought over firearms laws

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The Scottish Executive has taken steps to seek powers from Westminster over firearms legislation.

A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond said Home Office ministers had given a "sympathetic" response.

The executive argues there has been a sharp rise in airgun crime in Scotland over recent years.

Scottish Secretary Des Browne said Westminster's priority was to work with the executive to ensure all communities were protected from gun crime.

Mr Salmond met Westminster Justice Secretary Jack Straw in Edinburgh on 13 July and has since written to Mr Straw.

Meanwhile, Holyrood Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill met Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker on 19 July.

There is a need to put in place a modern and readily enforceable system with a greater emphasis on public safety First Minister's spokesman

Mr MacAskill is now writing to Ms Smith, proposing that officials in Edinburgh and Westminster "establish a legislative framework" for taking the issue forward.

An executive spokesman said: "While unconnected to the recent murder of Rhys Jones in Liverpool, that horrific act nonetheless gives added significance to the desire of Scottish ministers to move forward in the area of airgun and other weapons-related crime, and the broader weapons culture in Scotland."

New UK-wide laws went onto the Westminster statute book last year which effectively outlaw the sale of airguns at car boot sales, corner shops, and outlets not regulated by police.

The legislation also lifts the age limit for owning airguns from 17 to 18, tightens the law on firing air weapons from private property, and effectively outlaws mail order and internet sales.

Holyrood petition

However, in March, two families of airgun victims, including the relatives of two-year-old Andrew Morton, from Glasgow, handed a petition to Holyrood seeking a ban on personal ownership of handguns.

The executive believes it could acquire powers over airguns in one of two ways - either through devolving firearms legislation permanently to Edinburgh, or a one-off procedure in which Westminster could agree to Holyrood legislating in this area, in what would be a reverse of the Sewel convention.

The first minister's spokesman said: "There has been constructive dialogue between Scottish Ministers and their Westminster counterparts on enabling the Scots Parliament to lay a framework for a consolidated Firearms Act designed for Scottish needs and circumstances.

Two-year-old Andrew Morton was killed by an airgun

"This is an area where we would like to secure progress as soon as possible, as we would wish early legislation, and the response has been understanding and sympathetic."

He added: "We need to look afresh at the existing firearms legislation, which has been amended considerably over the last 20 years.

"There is a need to put in place a modern and readily enforceable system with a greater emphasis on public safety, and deal with the particular problem of air weapons crime in Scotland, as well as the weapons culture more generally."

Mr Browne said: "We are aware of the issues raised by Scottish ministers and, while our discussions with the Scottish Executive remain at an early stage, our priority is to work with them and other devolved administrations to ensure communities throughout the UK are protected from gun crime."

He said the Home Office had been working hard to tighten up the legislative framework on airguns.

"Firearms control is an issue which affects every community across the country and one the UK Government has retained a close focus on in recent months," he said.

"It is self-evident to say it is in everyone's interests to have effective legislation governing the circulation and use of weapons such as airguns in order to safeguard the public."