HC Deb 08 December 1987 vol 124 cc132-3W
Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Kent as to in what year Sterling AR 180 automatic rifles were acquired by Kent police;

(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Kent as to how many Sterling AR 180 automatic rifles are currently in the possession of Kent police;

(3) whether he will call for a report from the chief constable for Kent on the use of Sterling automatic AR 180 rifles by Kent police;

(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Kent as to what firearms Kent police are permitted to use in training and operational exercises;

(5) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Kent as to from whom Kent police acquired Sterling AR 180 automatic rifles and when;

(6) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Kent as to the means by which Sterling AR 180 automatic rifles were disposed of by Kent police.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Sterling AR 18 automatic rifles. Twelve of these were procured by Kent constabulary from a firearms dealer in 1978 for a particular anti-terrorist operation, at the conclusion of which they were destroyed. Kent constabulary is not currently in possession of such weapons. The firearms available to Kent constabulary for use in training and operational exercises are the same as those to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 27 November at column 370.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the chief constable of Kent on investigation into the disappearance of 66 jungle carbines from the premises of QED at Borough Green, Kent.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I understand from the chief constable of Kent that this matter is the subject of an investigation as a complaint against the police under section 85 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. A report will be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions and to the independent Police Complaints Authority upon completion of the investigation.