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Scotland — Gun Facts, Figures and the Law

For combined British figures, see 'United Kingdom'
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StockpilesGun Numbers

Civilian Guns

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms

The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in Scotland is 280,0001

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in Scotland is 5.52 firearms per 100 people

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Scotland ranked at No. 1051

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Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 179 countries, Scotland ranked at No. 932

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Number of Licensed Firearm Owners

The number of licensed gun owners in Scotland is reported to be 76,3803 4

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Rate of Licensed Firearm Owners per 100 Population

The rate of licensed firearm owners in Scotland is 1.475 per 100 people

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Number of Registered Firearms

The number of registered guns in Scotland is reported to be 212,6073 4

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Rate of Registered Firearms per 100 Population

The rate of registered firearms per 100 people in Scotland is 4.095

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Number of Privately Owned Rifles

In Scotland, the number of rifles in civilian possession is reported to be 45,2546

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Number of Privately Owned Shotguns

In Scotland, the number of shotguns in civilian possession is reported to be 137,7684

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Number of Privately Owned Handguns

There are reportedly 5666 handguns in civilian possession in Scotland

Government Guns

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Scotland are reported to have 20,7347 firearms

ImpactsGun Death and Injury

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Number of Homicides (any method)

ChartIn Scotland, annual homicides by any means total

2009: 998 9
2008: 115
2007: 119
2006: 94
2005: 137
2004: 108
2003: 125
2002: 113
2001: 107
2000: 123
1999: 12810 9
1998: 100
1997: 95
1996: 135
1995: 137

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Rate of Homicide per 100,000 People (any method)

ChartIn Scotland, the annual rate of homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2009: 1.98 9
2008: 2.2
2007: 2.3
2006: 1.8
2005: 2.7
2004: 2.1
2003: 2.5
2002: 2.2
2001: 2.1
2000: 2.4
1999: 2.49
1998: 1.9
1997: 1.8
1996: 2.6
1995: 2.6

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Number of Gun Homicides

ChartIn Scotland, annual firearm homicides total

2009: 211
2008: 4
2007: 8
2006: 8
2005: 8
2004: 2
2003: 3
2002: 5
2001: 3
2000: 5

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Rate of Gun Homicide per 100,000 People

ChartIn Scotland, the annual rate of firearm homicide per 100,000 population is

2009: 0.045
1994: 0.1912

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Number of Suicides (any method)

In Scotland, annual suicides by any means total

1999: 63713

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Rate of Suicide per 100,000 People (any method)

ChartIn Scotland, the annual rate of suicide by any means per 100,000 population is

1999: 12.4413
1994: 12.1614

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Number of Gun Suicides

In Scotland, annual firearm suicides total

2001: 713

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Rate of Gun Suicide per 100,000 People

ChartIn Scotland, the annual rate of firearm suicide per 100,000 population is

2001: 0.1413
1994: 0.3315

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Number of Unintentional Gun Deaths

In Scotland, annual unintentional shooting deaths total

2001: 013

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Rate of Unintentional Gun Death per 100,000 People

ChartIn Scotland, the annual rate of unintentional shooting death per 100,000 population is

2001: 0.0013
1994: 0.0216

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Gun Deaths from Undetermined Cause

In Scotland, annual shooting deaths in which the cause remains undecided total

2001: 113

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Rate of Gun Death from Undetermined Cause per 100,000 People

ChartIn Scotland, the annual rate of unknown-cause shooting deaths per 100,000 population is

2001: 0.0213
1994: 0.0417

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

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End User Certificates

Customs regulations in Scotland include18 certification of the intended end user of any small arms or ammunition transfer, and/or a written declaration of its intended end use

MeasuresGun Regulation

Firearm Law

Guiding gun control legislation in Scotland is the Firearms (Scotland) Rules 198919

Firearm Registration

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Civilian Gun Registration

In Scotland, the law requires6 that a record of the acquisition, possession and transfer of each privately held firearm be retained in an official register

Marking and Tracing Guns and Ammunition

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Firearm Marking

In Scotland, a unique identifying mark on each firearm is required by law20 21

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Firearm Tracing

In Scotland, state authorities carry out22 recognised arms tracing and tracking procedures

Collection, Amnesty and Destruction Programmes

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Destruction and Disposal Policy

In Scotland, it is state policy23 to destroy surplus, collected and seized firearms rather than return them to the secondary arms market

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

European Union

As a member of the European Union, Scotland is bound by the provisions of the ‘EU Firearms Directive’ – the 2007 Legislative Resolution on Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Weapons of the European Parliament24 25

European Union Export Reporting

Under the European Union Common Position on Arms Exports, Scotland is bound to declare its transfers of military technology and equipment. Independent monitoring provides detailed comparisons of arms export reporting compliance across EU member states, and records that Scotland has submitted one or more national reports26 on its arms transfers

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Scotland committed to a consensus decision of the United Nations to adopt, support and implement the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects27

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Scotland has been a Member State of the United Nations since 194528

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list29 Scotland as a Participating State
Last Updated on 24 April 2012

Short References

1.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q4)Full Citation

2.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q5)Full Citation

3.

Scotland.2010.‘Firearm Certificates: New applications (granted and refused) and certificates on issue in Scotland at 31 December, 1986-2009.’ Scottish Government, Crime and Justice Datasets.Edinburgh:Justice Analytical Services Division,1 May. (Q2073)Full Citation

4.

Scotland.2010.‘Shot Gun Certificates: New applications (granted and refused) and certificates on issue in Scotland at 31 December, 1986-2009.’ Scottish Government, Crime and Justice Datasets.Edinburgh:Justice Analytical Services Division,1 May. (Q2074)Full Citation

5.

GunPolicy.org.2010.‘Calculated Rates – Scotland.’ Historical Population Data – Scottish Government Website (Riaghaltas na h-Alba).Edinburgh:Scottish Government,6 August. (Q4228)Full Citation

6.

Scotland.2010.‘Firearm Certificates: Number of firearms possessed on certificate and firearms authorised to be purchased or acquired on certificate in force in Scotland at the end of the year by type of weapon, 2009.’ Scottish Government, Crime and Justice Datasets.Edinburgh:Justice Analytical Services Division,1 May. (Q2072)Full Citation

7.

Karp, Aaron.2006.‘Trickle and Torrent: State stockpiles.’ Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q7)Full Citation

8.

Scotland.2010.‘Cases and victims currently recorded as homicide by the Police in Scotland, 1999-00 to 2008-09.’ Scottish Government, Crime and Justice Datasets.Edinburgh:Justice Analytical Services Division,1 May. (Q2076)Full Citation

9.

UNODC.2011.‘Homicide in 207 Countries - Scotland.’ Global Study on Homicide 2011: Trends, Context, Data.Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,6 October. (Q6219)Full Citation

10.

Barclay, Gordon, Cynthia Tavares and Arsalaan Siddique.2001.‘Crimes Recorded by Police: Homicide.’ International Comparisons of Criminal Justice Statistics 1999.London:UK Home Office,1 May. (Q2143)Full Citation

11.

Scotland.2010.‘Firearm Offences, Scotland, 1999-00 to 2008-09 – Homicide.’ Scottish Government, Crime and Justice Datasets.Edinburgh:Justice Analytical Services Division,1 May. (Q2075)Full Citation

12.

Krug, E G, K E Powell and L L Dahlberg.1998.‘Firearm-Related Deaths in the United States and 35 Other High- and Upper-Middle-Income Countries.’ International Journal of Epidemiology.Atlanta:National Centre for Injury Prevention & Control, Centres for Disease Control & Prevention / CDC,16 April. (Q1297)Full Citation

13.

Jackson, Thomas.2005.‘Global Gun Deaths.’ NISAT Firearm Mortality Database 2005.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,1 January. (Q12)Full Citation

14.

Krug, E G, K E Powell and L L Dahlberg.1998.‘Firearm-Related Deaths in the United States and 35 Other High- and Upper-Middle-Income Countries.’ International Journal of Epidemiology.Atlanta:National Centre for Injury Prevention & Control, Centres for Disease Control & Prevention / CDC,16 April. (Q1302)Full Citation

15.

Krug, E G, K E Powell and L L Dahlberg.1998.‘Firearm-Related Deaths in the United States and 35 Other High- and Upper-Middle-Income Countries.’ International Journal of Epidemiology.Atlanta:National Centre for Injury Prevention & Control, Centres for Disease Control & Prevention / CDC,16 April. (Q1298)Full Citation

16.

Krug, E G, K E Powell and L L Dahlberg.1998.‘Firearm-Related Deaths in the United States and 35 Other High- and Upper-Middle-Income Countries.’ International Journal of Epidemiology.Atlanta:National Centre for Injury Prevention & Control, Centres for Disease Control & Prevention / CDC,16 April. (Q1299)Full Citation

17.

Krug, E G, K E Powell and L L Dahlberg.1998.‘Firearm-Related Deaths in the United States and 35 Other High- and Upper-Middle-Income Countries.’ International Journal of Epidemiology.Atlanta:National Centre for Injury Prevention & Control, Centres for Disease Control & Prevention / CDC,16 April. (Q1300)Full Citation

18.

UK.2010.‘Export Controls.’ National Report of the United Kingdom on its Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Counter Proliferation Department / Foreign and Commonwealth Office,1 March. (Q1607)Full Citation

19.

United Nations.1999.‘Analysis of Country Responses.’ United Nations International Study on Firearm Regulation.Vienna:UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division,30 August. (Q1)Full Citation

20.

UK.2010.‘Marking, Record Keeping and Tracing.’ National Report of the United Kingdom on its Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Counter Proliferation Department / Foreign and Commonwealth Office,1 March. (Q1608)Full Citation

21.

UK.2010.‘UK Implementing Report for the International Marking and Tracing Instrument.’ National Report of the United Kingdom on its Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Counter Proliferation Department / Foreign and Commonwealth Office,1 March. (Q1610)Full Citation

22.

UK.2010.‘UK Implementing Report for the International Marking and Tracing Instrument.’ National Report of the United Kingdom on its Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Counter Proliferation Department / Foreign and Commonwealth Office,1 March. (Q1609)Full Citation

23.

Stavrianakis, Ann, In: Faltas, Sami and Vera Chrobok (Eds.).2004.‘Storage and Destruction of Surplus Small Arms.’ Disposal of Surplus Small Arms: A survey of policies and practices in OSCE countries.Bonn:Bonn International Center for Conversion, BASIC, Saferworld, and the Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies,1 February. (Q3926)Full Citation

24.

European Parliament.2007.‘Roll-call Vote: EU Firearms Directive.’ Legislative Resolution on Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Weapons.Brussels:VoteWatch.eu,29 November. (Q1346)Full Citation

25.

EU Parliament.2007.‘Draft Legislative Resolution on the EU Parliament Firearms Directive 2007.’ Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons.Brussels:European Parliament,12 July. (Q1970)Full Citation

26.

Saferworld.2010.‘EU Arms Transfer Reporting Database.’ Saferworld European Union Arms Transfer Reporting Database.London:Saferworld,9 December. (Q3364)Full Citation

27.

UNGA.2001.‘Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.’ United Nations General Assembly.New York:UN General Assembly,20 July. (Q18)Full Citation

28.

UN.2009.‘Member States of the United Nations.’ UN.org Web Site.New York:United Nations General Assembly,11 May. (Q290)Full Citation

29.

Wassenaar Arrangement.1996.‘Introduction: Participating States.’ Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.Vienna:Wassenaar Secretariat,12 July. (Q19)Full Citation