§ Mr. John Browneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the experience in riot control of police in Northern Ireland has been studied and applied by police forces in Great Britain.
§ Mr. MayhewPolice forces in England and Wales exchange information with colleagues in Northern Ireland on matters of public order as on others.
§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Brent, East on 25 February, Official Report, c. 451–2, if he will provide details of the advice on the assessment of risks associated with the use of baton rounds that has been made available to him by his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.
§ Mr. WhitelawIt would not be appropriate to go into technical detail. I am satisfied that, properly used, baton rounds could be appropriate as a last resort in certain circumstances. Advice was included in the guidance, issued to chief officers of police, to which reference was202W made in my reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Altrincham and Sale (Mr. Montgomery) on 19 October 1981.—[Vol. 10, c. 29–30.]