Won't somebody think of the heavily armed children?

Hundreds of primary school children licensed to use shotguns - including one aged SEVEN

Hundreds of primary school-age children have been granted shotgun licences over the past three years, figures have revealed on the day MPs are due to debate a possible ban.
Between 2008 and 2010, a total of 281 children aged 11 and under were granted licences – one of them as young as seven.
Five licences were granted to eight-year-olds, 25 to those aged nine, while no fewer than 92 went to 10-year-olds. Another 158 licences were given to children aged 11.

The Daily Mail just love a good scare story.
How many of these children have used their guns for criminal purposes? None.
How many accidents have happened with these guns resulting in death or injury? None.
How many of these children are allowed to handle a weapon unsupervised? None.
How many of these children need to be supervised at all times by an adult with their own gun licence? All of them.
How many children have had a licence revoked in the past ten years? Two. (Not for gun related offences)

Of course none of this is mentioned in the article as it doesn't make for a good scare story.

The disturbing statistics – higher than previously thought – emerge on the day that the Commons is due to debate whether under-10s should be banned from being granted licenses to use shotguns.

I would hardly call these figures disturbing. I find it quite refreshing that some young children are being given the opportunity to grow up in an environment of sensible gun ownership. They will be the next generation of responsible gun owners rather than the next generation of criminals.

Statistics I would find disturbing are those for the number of illegal guns in the hands of children.

Again, no mention of that. There is no point in calling for a ban on something that is already illegal, even though it is only those guns that we actually have a serious problem with.

At present, they may not be given licences for other firearms, such as revolvers, until they are 14.

Come on DM, get it right. Revolvers, along with all other handguns were outlawed during Labours last round of illiberal gun control.

But there is no lower limit for shotguns. The decision to grant a licence rests with a senior police officer, and all under-18s must have an adult over 21 with a firearms licence to vouch for them.

And it works just fine. The gun control network say that, "Guns and kids don't mix", yet they have no basis or evidence for that statement. There is no problem with the current system so it doesn't need changing.

If anything it should be relaxed.