§ Mr. Austin WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of issuing the Metropolitan police and other forces with protective clothing.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe operational use of protective clothing is primarily a matter for chief officers of police. So far as I am aware no investigations into its effectiveness have been carried out by police forces. The police scientific development branch offers advice to chief constables on protective clothing which is based on trials. It has also partly completed a project to assemble information about public order injuries from which it will be possible to assess the effectiveness of protective equipment.