§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces in the United Kingdom are at present conducting field trials of martial-arts type batons for the control of civilians.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 12 February 1990]: I understand that the West Midlands police have acquired 100 batons which are inflexible cylindrical rods about 6 in long and five eighths of an inch in diameter. These are being made available to trained officers in a pilot scheme running until the end of March. As with any other piece of equipment these batons may be used only in accordance with the principle of section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 which requires the use of no more force than is reasonable in the circumstances.