§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is Government policy that each individual police force should be equipped with CS gas, if he will list those forces which either are or plan to be equipped with such gas; how many officers are trained in the Use of such gas, and how such training is carried out; and what operational advice is given by his Department on the circumstances in which CS gas may be used by police.
§ Mr. RifkindCS smoke equipment has been held by all police forces since the mid-1960s. Its use is governed by a statement by the then Home Secretary on 20 May 1965- [Vol. 712, c. 1651.]—that CS smoke was
for use in dealing with armed criminals or violently insane persons in buildings from which they cannot be dislodged without danger of loss or life.Appropriate operational advice has been given on the use of CS in such situa- 586W tions. CS smoke will not be used in any other circumstances.
The number of officers trained and the way in which they are trained are operational matters for individual chief constables, but the rule is that the equipment is used only by officers who have received specialist training.