§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will direct the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to issue a police order on the lines of that recently issued by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the deployment of uniformed officers on plain cloths observation duties; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottThe Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary operates under the law. He is not subject to direction by the Secretary of State in the operational control of his force. However, I understand that uniformed officers are specially briefed by a senior officer before embarking on plain clothes observation duties.