Grant of firearm certificate to young personsN.I.
This section has no associated Explanatory Memorandum
7.—(1) In this Article “young person” means a person under the age of 18 who has attained the age of 16.
(2) The Chief Constable may grant a firearm certificate to a young person [for the acquisition and possession, but not for the purchase, of a firearm and ammunition] if—
(a)each firearm to which it relates is—
(i)an air gun to which paragraph (4) applies;
(ii)a shotgun; or
(iii)a .22 rimfire rifle that is to say of a calibre not exceeding 5.59 millimetres; . . .
(b)the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that the firearm and any ammunition for it to which the certificate relates are for the purpose of—
(i)pest control; or
(ii)the protection of livestock;
on agricultural land occupied by the holder or on which he works and also resides [; ...
(c)the young person has produced with his application to the Chief Constable, the permission in writing of a parent or guardian to the acquisition and possession of the firearm and ammunition to which the application relates.][and
(d)the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that arrangements must be in place for ensuring that a parent or guardian assumes responsibility for the secure storage of the firearm and ammunition to which the certificate relates.]
(3) The Chief Constable may grant a firearm certificate to a young person [for the acquisition and possession, but not for the purchase, of a firearm and ammunition] if—
(a)each firearm to which it relates is—
(i)an air gun to which paragraph (4) applies; or
(ii)a shotgun; ...
(b)the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that the holder shall have the firearm and any ammunition for it to which the certificate relates in his possession only—
(i)for sporting purposes [or for the purpose of pest control] ; and
(ii)[during the period until he attains the age of 18] under the supervision of a person who has attained the age of 21 and has held a firearm certificate for a firearm of that type for at least three years. [and
(c)the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that arrangements must be in place for ensuring that a person who has attained the age of 21 and has held a firearm certificate for a firearm of that type for at least three years assumes responsibility for the secure storage of the firearm and ammunition to which the certificate relates.]
(4) This paragraph applies to an air gun which is capable of discharging a missile so that the missile has, on being discharged, a kinetic energy in excess of one joule.