§ 43. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much CS gas has been purchased by, or on behalf of police forces in Scotland since 1965; and what instructions he has issued on the use of CS gas in emergency.
§ Mr. BuchanI am informed that initial supplies of 32 grenades were purchased in 1965 and that five grenades have since been purchased to replace four used in practice and one in an incident involving an insane person.
My right hon. Friend has advised chief constables that those weapons should be used only to deal with armed criminals or violently insane persons in buildings from which they cannot be dislodged without danger of loss of life, or as a means of self-defence in a desperate situation, and that in no circumstances should they be used to assist in the control of disturbances.