COVID-19: Update on Recent Statements
On Thursday 21 May the NPCC (National Police Chief’s Council) issued a letter titled ‘Shooting grounds and COVID-19 Recover Phase’. STS would like to advise members that although this is not specifically stated, this letter refers to the recovery plan issued for England. As our members will be aware, Scotland has devolved authority to manage its own response to COVID-19 and is operating on a slightly different timescale and recovery plan, being prepared by the Scottish Government. As such, the letter issued by the NPCC and promoted by the NSRA (National Smallbore Rifle Association), does not represent the position in Scotland, where the current lock down position remains in place.
However, also on Thursday 21 May, the First Minister did start to outline the roadmap for recovery. All being well and subject to no significant change, Phase 1 of Scotland’s recover plan will be introduced on Thursday 28 May. The Scottish Government’s position on Phase 1 for sport, culture and leisure activities are outlined as follows:
In this phase we are planning to allow unrestricted outdoors exercise adhering to distancing measures and non-contact outdoor activities in the local area – such as golf, hiking, canoeing, outdoor swimming, angling – consistent with the wider rules and guidance applicable to any activity in this phase.
While the wording does not categorically refer to shooting, we are hopeful that outdoor shooting is implied in this description of endorsed activity. We are in the process of seeking clarity with the relevant authorities that this interpretation is correct.
In addition to this, STS has today written to the Scottish Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, thanking him for his work to date but expressing the need for shooting grounds to reopen and their readiness for implementing social distancing measures, something already largely in place for safety reasons. STS is already engaged in conversations with sportscotland, other Scottish agencies as well as UK wide shooting bodies to ensure any guidance developed provides clarity and consistency (where possible) while also allowing shooting clubs to reopen as quickly as possible whilst ensuring the protection of the shooting community from the COVID-19 virus.
We will be working with our colleagues at Police Scotland and relevant members from the Firearms Licensing Practitioners Group to clarify the interpretation of Phase 1 in relation to outdoor shooting further once the commencement of Phase 1 has been confirmed by the Scottish Government.