HC Deb 05 July 1988 vol 136 cc526-7W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers of the Ministry of Defence police have undergone riot training since January 1987.

Mr. Sainsbury

In common with other police forces, MDP officers receive basic public order training as an integral part of their initial recruits course. Four hundred and eighteen MDP officers have undergone this training since 1 January 1987. In the same period 901 officers have received refresher training.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of supplying the operations support unit of the Ministry of Defence police with riot equipment; what is the estimated cost of training the members of the operational support unit to use riot equipment; and on how many occasions has such equipment been used by members of the operational support unit.

Mr. Sainsbury

Replacement public order protective clothing comprising helmets, boots, flameproof overalls and gloves costing £10,000 was provided for the OSU in the financial year 1987–88.

Public order training is undertaken by the OSU as part of its routine programme when not deployed operationally. It does not use additional or external resources, and therefore incurs no extra costs.

The OSU has used public order protective clothing and equipment only in June 1985 and June 1988, on both occasions in the Stonehenge area.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances Ministry of Defence police officers are engaged on armed duty on public roads.

Mr. Sainsbury

When operational circumstances require.

Back to