Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what state-sponsored training is available on the use of guns to the holders of guns in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [139406]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeApart from any military training offered by the Ministry of Defence, for example for the Territorial Army and other reserve forces and for Cadet forces, the Government do not generally sponsor training for gun owners. The safe and responsible use of firearms by private individuals is a matter for the individual concerned who must satisfy the local police that he or she is fit to be entrusted with a firearms and can be permitted to possess it without danger to the public safety or the peace.
There are a number of means by which a private individual in the United Kingdom may obtain training in the handling and use of firearms which may involve some degree of Government endorsement or support. For example, 113 target shooting clubs based in schools in England and Wales are approved by the Home Office, some of which may be in publicly funded schools and 153W offer shooting sports as part of the wider sporting curriculum. Similarly, there are 1,314 target shooting clubs in England and Wales which are approved but not funded by the Home Office, although some may receive Sports Council grants.
Training for veterinary surgeons will usually involve training in the humane destruction of injured animals, and courses run by agricultural colleges in gamekeepering may also involve training in the safe handling and use of firearms.
Although not state sponsored, shooting organisations such as the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) have sought to provide training to those who may wish to use guns for game or target shooting. The Government welcome these measures to encourage those taking part in shooting sports to do so safely and responsibly.