Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to his contribution of 7 March 2011, Official Report, column 716, on the Scotland Bill, whether BB guns fall within the definition of air weapons which the Scottish Parliament will have the power to ban under the provisions of the Scotland Bill.
Answer
The term 'BB gun' is understood to be a type of airgun which fires a BB projectile through a smoothbore barrel. Since their muzzle energy is commonly so low as not to be lethal, BB guns and airsoft guns do not generally fall within the subject-matter of the Firearms Acts.The Scottish Parliament will be able to legislate in relation to BB guns following the passage of the Scotland Bill, subject to complying with any other relevant constraints on legislative competence.