HC Deb 22 December 1988 vol 144 cc421-2W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of recorded uses of firearms by police in England and Wales in 1979 and in the latest year available.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The following table shows the recorded number of uses of firearms by the police for incidents involving criminals or other persons known or believed to be armed.

Year Number incidents in which shots were fired by police Number of operations in which firearms were issued to the police
1979 3 8,108
1980 10 7,275
1981 4 6,149
1982 10 7,952
Year Number incidents in which shots were fired by police Number of operations in which firearms were issued to the police
19831 3 3,180
1984 6 2,667
1985 7 2,488
1986 1 2,453
1987 7 2,185
1The basis on which the figures are recorded changed in 1983. From 1983 the figures recorded the number of operations in which firearms were issued; the figures for 1982 and earlier years record the number of occasions on which firearms were issued.