§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is Government policy that each individual police force should establish specialist firearms units to deal with major operational incidents in which firearms may be used; and if he will list those forces which either have or plan to have such units.
§ Mr. RifkindThis is an operational matter which is entirely for chief constables. The trend is, however, to set up small specialist units comprising officers who have received additional training in the use of specialist weapons and tactics.
§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, on a police force area basis, on how many occasions in 1979 firearms were issued to police officers (a) to deal with crime, (b) for protection of persons and (c) for protection of property; on how many occasions weapons were drawn from holsters; on how many occasions shots were fired and, in these cases, what the circumstances were.
§ Mr. RifkindFirearms were issued to police officers for all purposes on 699 occasions. This figure cannot be analysed in the manner requested, because it would be contrary to the interests of security to provide detailed information about the issue of firearms for protection purposes.
Figures are not available centrally on the number of occasions on which weapons were drawn from their holsters. Shots were fired on two occasions, both to deal with injured animals—a whale and a heifer.