HC Deb 08 February 1991 vol 185 cc275-6W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been killed or injured in each of the last five years as a result of car chases involving vehicles of the Metropolitan police.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I understand that the number of fatalities in accidents following vehicle pursuits by police cars are as follows:

Year Civilians Police
1986 4 1
1987 8 0
1988 8 0
1989 12 1
1990 6 1

The only figures available for injuries in similar circumstances are as follows:

11988–89 1990
Officers injured 84 48
Members of public injured 93 43
1 Two years taken together.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if statistics are kept by the Metropolitan police of incidents involving the high-speed chase of vehicles by the police.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I understand that the force's statistical records of vehicle pursuits do not identify separately those which are conducted at high speeds.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the guidelines issued to Metropolitan police officers in respect of high-speed police car chases.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The Metropolitan police instruction manual contains instructions for officers answering urgent calls or pursuing vehicles. In particular, officers are advised that no call is so urgent as to justify an accident which may cause injury; that calls received by crews of police cars must not as a matter of course be answered at high speed, or without regard for the ordinary rules of the road; and that it is far better to let a criminal escape than to kill or injure innocent people as a result of an accident.