§ 31. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances he is now authorising the arming of the police, uniformed and in plain clothes; and what consideration he has given to a general extension of the present authority.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Roy Jenkins)Arms are available for issue to police officers who are on protection duty or need to carry them for self-defence when engaged on specially dangerous duty, and who have been trained to handle them. I do not contemplate any substantial change in these arrangements, but I am considering, in consultation with the organisations representing the various ranks in the police service, a number of detailed 392 improvements, for example, in firearm training.
§ Mr. DigbyWhile recognising that any general arming of the police would be a retrograde step, is it not possible that the third policeman would be alive today if there had been a gun in the car? Consequently, is there not a case for being a little more generous in allowing those on special and dangerous duties to have guns with them?
§ Mr. JenkinsIt is very dangerous to draw hypothetical deductions such as the hon. Gentleman has drawn. I am certainly prepared to look at matters' of detail in this respect, as I have indicated, but my mind—and I think that all ranks in the police force are in agreement—is very strongly against moving towards any general policy of arming the police.