The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

??? Wasn't aware that there WAS a separate piece of "Scottish" legislation that covered late renewals.!!!

So, not all bad news in the ForthReich then!

Wow, what a bellend. This gem stood out for me;

"SACS seek to have the Chief Officer of police issue a temporary permit in the absence of satisfaction from a significant line of enquiry, namely medical history. By definition this means that the Chief Officer of police does not know the medical history of an individual and, has now been proved, there have been a number of individuals identified who have not been frank in respect of their medical history on their current application or past applications to access firearms. This fundamentally exposes the public to a risk, which may be considered unnecessary. In essence, SACS are asking that Police Scotland may issue temporary certificates to people who should not have guns."

That is some tenuous leap and works on the principal of guilty before proven innocent, great attitude for any police officer let alone a fecking Chief Constable Does he not realise that, that situation can only occur with a person who has already been previously in possession of an FAC for 5 years?? So he is by definition stating that Police Scotland have issued a certificate to a person "who should not have guns" for at least the period between the GP not responding to the police request for information and Police Scotland realising that no response has been received!?

If this is so keen on dictionary definitions of words he might want to look up what the word 'weapon' is usually defined as. Is he saying that S1 and S2 guns are legal to use for 'defensive or offensive purposes'?? Sweet(!)

As such a proponent of the Firearms Licensing Guidance he might also what to familiarise himself with Annex A: GP and Police Information Sharing Guide, paragraphs 11 and 12;

11. The GP or GP’s surgery should ensure that a response is provided to the police letter. In most cases the GP’s response will indicate that they have no concerns. The police letter will make it clear that if the GP fails to respond within 21 days the police will draw the inference that the GP has no concerns.

12. If the GP fails to respond to the police letter because it has been lost in the post or has been mislaid the letter will not be attached to the patient record. In these circumstances there can be no expectation that the GP would be able to respond or provide information concerning a person’s medical fitness. If the GP feels unable to participate on the basis of a conscientious objection, or for any other reason, they should refer the patient to a colleague if possible. If no colleague is willing or available, the GP should inform the police immediately that they will not be able to complete the form. In the unlikely event that this arises the police should discuss with the applicant/certificate holder how to obtain adequate medical information. The applicant or certificate holder should not be disadvantaged, nor the application delayed, by a GP’s refusal to provide medical information.

If one was cynical you could presume this Chief constable is making up/bending the rules to suit.

Would there be a demand for a private GP service, for a small fee, that would be willing to fully comply with all police requests (assuming that the individual is objectively safe)?

Basically police Scotland have issued their own guidance in place of the home office one.

If one was cynical you could presume this Chief constable is making up/bending the rules to suit.

Making their own rules up - who would ever have thought it.

mr smith wrote:Basically police Scotland have issued their own guidance in place of the home office one.

Normal for Norwich rules apply

They've openly been ignoring/flouting Home Office guidance for years.
I have e-mails from an FEO stating this in black & white...

I think any chances of impartiality have long since vanished North of the Border - henceforth called "The Line of Sanity", i.e. what with examples such as the ex-FLO manager from Fettes (Edinburgh) retiring from the job, to then walk into another job - that of "special advisor" for the SNP, at the Scottish Parliament!! Makes the SNP taking on the mantel of "multi-shot shotguns" somewhat clearer as such guns were one of his speshul hate-topics.

All Hail Fish Face!!
Nepotism - Nambyism - Marxism

I get nepotism, but what's nambyism, and what's marxism got to do with the scotch nicola party?

Pete

Pete wrote:....and what's marxism got to do with the scotch nicola party?

Pete

Try Google. ....esp. King 'eck, & not forgetting their anti-semitic/pro-PLO undercurrents

The problem is whilst Firearms legislation is not devolved and they should be following Home Office guidance to the letter of the law Police Scotland's political masters whom they owe their very existence and pay the bills are in Edinburgh not Westminster.

It is clear to me with SNP support and after the utter farce that is the Air Weapon Licensing scheme forced through into Scottish law Police Scotland are becoming increasingly confident in making up their own rules and hiding behind obfuscation and the excuse of "Public Safety" knowing full well it pleases their political masters in Holyrood.

Add to that a degree of petty class war anti shooting spite from the SNP, they were told repeatedly in the consultation over Air Gun licensing by the shooting public and organisations that the term "Weapon" is inaccurate and inflammatory yet they gleefully used that term rather the more neutral and conciliatory "Gun". That Police Scotland will now send out a letter to a Shooting organisation with a blanket statement that all guns are designed to kill is a good sign that they are not that interested in being conciliatory.

Sadly I think it is only a matter of time now before Firearms licensing is fully devolved to Holyrood as a sop to the Nationalists by the current UK government prior to the next inevitable referendum. What does it matter to the Tories in Westminster if Scottish shooters are left to face the whims of the SNP....