§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for reports from chief constables on the operation of manoeuvres designed temporarily to incapacitate demonstrators; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawNo. The overriding principle—set out in section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967–is that no more force shall be used than is reasonable in the circumstances. The tactics adopted to control a particular instance of public disorder are a matter for the operational judgement of the chief constable of police concerned.