§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he wlil obtain reports from chief constables regarding the occasions on which C.S. gas has been used by any police force in Great Britain, for what purpose, and with what results.
§ Mr. Macdonaldasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on how many occasions C.S. gas has been used by the Metropolitan Police Force; and on how many of those occasions was C.S. gas used in a room of a building or similar confined space;
(2) if he will call for reports from chief constables on the number of occasions C.S. gas has been used, and on the number of occasions it was used in a room of a building or smiliar confined space;
(3) whether medical examinations are carried out on those exposed to C.S. gas by the Metropolitan Police Force; and to what extent ill effects have been discovered;
177W(4) if he will call for reports from chief constables on whether medical examinations are carried out on those exposed, to C.S. gas by their police forces, and on the extent to which ill effects have been discovered.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganMy information is that C.S. gas has been used operationally by the police in England and Wales only once, in Surrey, when cartridge were used to dislodge a mentally-deranged man, armed with a shot-gun, who had barricaded himself in a house. He was attended by his own doctor but no lasting ill effect was observed on him or on the police officers concerned.
I understand from my right hon. Friend that in Scotland C.S. gas has been used once by the police.
§ Mr. Macdonaldasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what quantities of C.S. gas are now held by the Metropolitan Police Force; and if he will call for reports from chief constables on the amount of C.S. gas now held by police forces in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganThe answer to the first part of the Question is 16 grenades and 50 cartridges.
I am seeking the information requested in the second part and will write to my hon. Friend when it is available.
§ Mr. Macdonaldasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the limited amounts of non-toxic tear smoke officially supplied to police forces in 1965 are identical with the 264 grenades and 170 cartridges of C.S. gas supplied to police forces in that year.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganYes, they are.
§ Mr. Macdonaldasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether members of the Metropolitan Police to whom C.S. gas is issued are at the same time issued with antidotes to the effect of this gas, and in what quantity.
(2) if he will call for reports from chief constables on the extent to which members of the police forces to whom C.S. gas is issued are at the same time issued with antidotes to the effect of this gas.
178W
§ Mr. Elystan MorganI am informed that no special antidote is required.