Scotland Bill — Clause 11 — Devolution to Scotland of Powers to Regulate Specially Dangerous Air Weapons — 7 Mar 2011 at 20:15

The majority of MPs voted against devolving powers to Scotland to regulate those air weapons deemed so dangerous they need to be licenced or prohibited in the same way as a firearm.

Air weapons include, with some exceptions, air rifles, air guns and air pistols.

MPs were considering the Scotland Bill^[1]. The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• Amendment 3, page 7, line 27, leave out from ‘1968’ to end of line 34

The unamended clause stated:

• Air weapons
• In Part 2 of Schedule 5 to the 1998 Act, in Section B4 (specific reservations: firearms) at the end insert—
• “Exception
• The regulation of air weapons within the meaning given by section 1(3)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968 (which is subject to the following which remain powers of the Secretary of State—
• (a) the power to make rules under section 53 of that Act for the purposes of that provision (specially dangerous weapons requiring firearms certificate), and
• (b) the power to make an order under section 1(4) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (specially dangerous weapons to be prohibited)).”

The rejected amendment sought not to retain the powers in (a) and (b) above with the Secretary of State.

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Scotland Bill (now an Act)
• [2] Clause 11 of the Scotland Bill as at the time of the vote

Debate in Parliament | Source |