The consensus of opinion in Scotland and further afield is that firearms law needs reform.
This was also reflected in the Home Office Consultation on Review of Firearms Law in 2004 , which has not been taken forward.
The legislation on firearms is reserved, which means that action would need to be taken by the UK Government to change it.
The Justice Secretary and the First Minister have exchanged letters and met the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor on numerous occasions, explaining that the Scottish Government and organisations across Scotland and the UK think that firearms law needs to be changed.
They asked three questions:
1. Will you allow the Scottish Government to take action for Scotland?
2. Will you take action to reform on a UK basis?
3. Will you allow us to pilot airgun licensing in Scotland?
The UK Government has rejected all requests to amend the legislation, preferring continued enforcement and monitoring of the current law, and stating that it would be confusing and potentially damaging to have different laws on firearms north and south of the border.