Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the recently announced air weapons review in England and Wales, if he will seek the views of (a) Police Scotland, (b) Police Service of Northern Ireland, (c) the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and (d) animal welfare officers in local councils in Northern Ireland on the effects of their respective air gun licensing legislation on reported incidents of air weapons attacks on people and pets.

The Home Office has commenced a review of the regulation of air weapons in England and Wales, and we have asked for the views of interested parties on this. We have also asked that anybody who wishes to share their views on this issue with us do so by 6 February 2018.

The review will take account of the arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland where air weapons are subject to a licensing regime. We will therefore be seeking the views of both Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. We have not sought the views of the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or animal welfare officers in local councils in Northern Ireland, although it is open to them to write to us about this review.