Firearm Certificate Statistics, Scotland, 2014-15

2. Commentary

Firearm and Shot Gun Certificates

2.1. There were 26,112 Firearm Certificates on issue as at 1 April 2015. This is practically unchanged compared to the 26,101 Firearm Certificates on issue as at the end of March 2014. The number of individuals who hold a Firearm Certificate has remained broadly stable since 2006.

2.2. There were 48,941 Shot Gun Certificates on issue as at 1 April 2015. This is slightly lower (down 0.5%) than the 49,165 Shot Gun Certificates on issue as at the end of March 2014. The number of individuals who hold a Shot Gun Certificate has reduced by 1,033 (or 2.1%) since 2006.

Number of Firearms and Shotguns

2.3. As at 1st October 2015, there were 54,435 unique firearms possessed on certificates, and there were 107,646 unique shotguns possessed on certificates.

2.4. This is the first year of reporting on the number of firearms and shotguns in circulation through the new SHOGUN firearm licensing system.

2.5. A Firearm or Shot Gun Certificate may permit the holder to possess, purchase or acquire one or more weapons. Therefore, changes in the number of certificates will not necessarily reflect changes in the number of weapons held legally.

2.6. As outlined in the Background note, it has been accepted that previous data collections included an element of double counting on the total number of firearms covered by certificates. Estimates of this duplication are available in the Annex.

Firearm Dealers

2.7. There were 346 registered firearm dealers in Scotland as at 1 April 2015. This is twelve fewer than the 358 reported as at the end of March 2014.