§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Thames Valley police on what guidance he issues to his constables about the use of handcuffs on persons arrested or held in police custody.
§ Mr. HurdI understand from the chief constable that his policy—embodied in force standing orders—is that whether or not a prisoner will be handcuffed must depend on the circumstances of the particular case, as, for instance, the nature of the charge and the conduct arid temper of the person in custody; that handcuffing will not be resorted to unless there is fair ground for supposing that violence may be used, or an escape attempted, that handcuffing cannot be justified unless there are good special reasons for resorting to it; that females, juveniles, the old and infirm will not be handcuffed unless there are exceptional circumstances.
§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief 215W constable of the Thames Valley police on how many occasions during the past year handcuffs have been put on women arrested at Greenham common.
§ Mr. HurdI understand from the chief constable that the number of occasions on which women arrested at Greenham common during the last year have been handcuffed are few, if any.