BBC ALBA Investigates 'The Gun' In Scotland

A new BBC ALBA documentary, Trusadh: Gunnaichean ann an Alba/Guns In Scotland, will examine the various roles of the gun in Scottish society.
The gun has played a major role in rural Scottish life for generations. To this day, the history and cultural heritage of hunting and shooting for sport generates a vital income for the Scottish economy, especially during the busy autumn and winter season. Non-traditional seasonal activities such as clay pigeon shooting are also on the increase.
The documentary includes interviews with those who shoot for sport, as well as examining how police implement and control the issuing of firearm certificates at a local level, and discovers that the art of gun-making is still very much a lucrative part of rural Scottish life today.
However, debate continues to surround gun legislation in Scotland, following the horrors of Dunblane and, more recently, in Cumbria last year. These incidents have added to the stigma associated with gun holders in society, irrespective of their reason, or right to have a gun.
There are currently about 75,000 firearms certificates recorded in Scotland, primarily for gaming and sporting purposes. It is illegal to own an unregistered firearm in Scotland, even for an air rifle, of which there are four million in the UK. Since the 1997 Firearms Act hand guns have been almost completely banned for private ownership in the UK.
Produced by MacTV for BBC ALBA, Trusadh: Gunnaichean ann an Alba/Guns In Scotland will be broadcast on Monday July 11 at 9pm.
(KMcA)