§ Mr. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 24 January, 557W Official Report, column 152, when a company was last granted authority specifically to possess electric shock weapons; if he will name the company or companies involved; and for how long that permission was given.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 30 January 1995]: No company has been granted authority specifically to possess electric shock weapons in the last three years. Information about the granting of authority for that purpose in earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. WelshTo aks the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what further steps he is taking to review the operation of guidelines relating to the manufacture, marketing and supply of(a) electro-shock weapons and (b) weapons of torture; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what assessment he has made that guidelines relating to the manufacture, marketing and supply of (a) electro-shock weapons and (b) instruments of torture are being fully complied with; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 30 January 1995]: Electric shock weapons are prohibited by section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968, and cannot be possessed, manufactured or sold without the authority of the Secretary of State. The procedures for granting or refusing authority to possess prohibited weapons are kept under regular review.
It is not practicable to control trade in the wide range of goods which could be misused for the purposes of torture. The Government are willing to look at any tangible evidence of British companies knowingly involved in supplying materials and expertise for the purposes of repression.