Whitehall to spoil plans for Scottish airgun licence

THE Home Office is to block moves by First Minister Jack McConnell to create a new licensing system for airguns in Scotland.

Sources close to Home Secretary Charles Clarke claim it would be "ridiculous" to have different registration schemes on either side of the Border.

They are insisting that Scotland should fall into line with their own plans to create a new registration programme for all firearms, which is soon to be piloted in England.

The slap-down for the First Minister follows claims last week that McConnell would press forward with a Scotland-only licensing scheme.

The demands for such a scheme in Scotland have increased since the death in March of Glasgow toddler Andrew Morton, who was struck by an air-gun pellet.

UK ministers last week omitted any mention of a licensing scheme from a new bill on violent crime - prompting calls for Scotland to go its own way. However, Home Office sources are insisting that while a registration scheme was not in their bill, it will only be "a matter of time" before it is put in place.

Scotland should simply wait until then, rather than pressing ahead with its own plans, sources said.

One Home Office insider said: "We haven't given Scotland permission to go ahead. The government's view is that this is better done nationally."

The row follows the publication of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill in London last week, which will outlaw the sale of replica guns and make it an offence to fire airgun pellets except on private premises.

It will also raise the minimum age for buying an airgun from 17 to 18. However, there was no mention of a registration scheme. Officials said last night that the Home Office had delayed a registration scheme for guns in England because of IT problems. However, they insist that a pilot in Lancashire is soon to be rolled out, before it commences nationwide.

McConnell told the Scottish Parliament last week that he agreed he had to work with the Home Office to reach a decision. However, he gave notice of his intention to seek a Scottish solution. "We do not believe that the bill will go far enough," he told MSPs.

Opposition parties last night said that the Scottish Executive should clear the matter up.

SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon said: "I think that the Executive has been caught out promising much more than they are able to deliver."

She added: "I find the argument that you can't have different rules north and south of the Border somewhat ridiculous. You have a separate regime for knife crime.

"I don't see why you can't have a separate rule for guns, particularly when the problem with air guns does seem to be more pronounced in Scotland."