§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the items of new equipment authorised by his Department for use by20W (a) the Metropolitan police and (b) other police forces in England and Wales in the last two years; how much training is required by his Department (i) initially and (ii) annually for each piece of equipment; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of each piece of equipment on the time available to police officers on active duty. [75]
§ Mr. MacleanMy right hon. and learned Friend gave his consent to the following in the Metropolitan police district, in accordance with the Metropolitan Police Town Clauses Act 1829:
- (i) on 23 November 1994, 24 in and 26 in straight batons;
- (ii) on 28 June 1995, expandable three-piece friction lock batons.
In addition, between 1 March and 31 August 1996, Metropolitan police officers participated in operational trials of CS aerosol sprays with my right hon. and learned Friend's consent. His consent is not required to the introduction of police equipment in other forces.
Training in the use of equipment is a matter for individual chief officers. An assessment was made of the effect of the introduction of expandable side-handled batons on working days lost by injury to police officers. No conclusions could be drawn because it coincided with a period in which there was a large fall in the number of officers on long-term sick leave.