It's a method used by governments, local councils and other legislative bodies all over Britain. They want to introduce something that will have a lot of opposition, be it stricter gun licencing, closing down local schools or a village hall or whatever. They first of all get it into the press by a leak. They then have a consultation, where everyone can complain to their hearts content and then it all goes quiet. Then all of a sudden it happens. Everyone stands back and says "Well I saw that coming".
I think the Scottish Government have genuine motives here in wanting to reduce crime involving air weapons. But like most firearms legislation of recent decades, the method is all wrong. It won't be those with a genuine reason to have an air gun that commit these offences. They're targeting the wrong people. However, like those complainers at the consultation stage, there is very little point in saying this, because, like that consultation, nobody is listening.