§ Lord Orr-EwingMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many police forces have taken up the offer of new protective equipment.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Belstead)My Lords, all forces in Great Britain have made some provision.
§ Lord Orr-EwingMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that the millions of people who, on television, saw our police standing unprotected will be greatly relieved that this arrangement has now been made? Does it include anti-riot shields, anti-riot helmets and fire-proof clothing? Further, could my noble friend possibly say whether Mr. John Alderson, the Chief Constable of Cornwall and Devon, who said that he did not want this protection, has now changed his view on this matter?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the equipment to which my noble friend's Question and my Answer referred does indeed include supplies of shields, helmets and fire-proof clothing. Some 12,500 new-style protective helmets are now with the police in Great Britain; again, I understand that supplies of some 2,000 fire-retardant overall suits are with the police, and, indeed, there is the facility for supplying more. So far as concerns the last point which my noble friend made in his supplementary question, I think the right balance must be struck between the prudent provision of equipment and not allowing such provision to set the police apart from the communities for which they are responsible. But the House may be interested to know that the Devon and Cornwall force have a supply of helmets and shields; and indeed the force assisted in the policing during the Merseyside disorders.
§ Lord Wells-PestellMy Lords, in view of the use of the words "protective equipment" in the Question, may I ask the Minister whether this includes arms or CS gas, which it could be argued are protective equipment?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the answer to the noble Lord, Lord Wells-Pestell, is, yes, it does include CS gas and it does include certain supplies of what are known as baton rounds.
§ Lord WigoderMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware, if any criticism of Mr. Alderson were implied in the supplementary question, that there are a great many Members of your Lordships' House who regard him as a quite outstanding police officer?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I do not think necessarily that criticism was implied by my noble friend, and I do not think the House will take it that any criticism was implied in the reply.