§ 17. Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days' training per year is given to police officers on the use of firearms.
§ Mr. HurdThe Association of Chief Police Officers, in consultation with the Home Office, has recommended to all chief officers of police in England and Wales that the basic training course for firearms officers should last a minimum of 10 working days, and should be followed by regular refresher training four times a year for two consecutive days on each occasion. Once they have qualified as authorised firearms officers, some officers undergo additional specialist firearms training; the length of such courses varies according to the type of weapon involved and the duties likely to be undertaken.
§ Mr. BennettDoes the Home Secretary agree that this training rightly takes up a considerable amount of time and is extremely expensive? Is it not therefore essential that police officers should be armed on only the absolute minimum of occasions?—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ Mr. Hurd—but I take his point. It is worth while telling the House that the number of firearms issued to the police in 1984—the last year for which I have figures—is down on 1983 by more than 16 per cent.