§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons plastic baton rounds replaced rubber bullets for use by the armed forces in Northern Ireland. [63931]
Defence expenditure (US$ million) 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Belgium 4,142 4,215 3,938 4,723 4,770 4,078 3,762 3,948 4,572 4,240 3,769 Denmark 2,127 2,336 2,162 2,610 2,614 2,799 2,702 2,741 3,125 3,086 2,816 France 34,529 35,909 35,085 42,794 42,399 45,654 42,593 44,381 47,735 46,402 41,545 Germany 34,233 35,369 33,638 42,793 39,893 42,399 38,629 35,933 41,906 38,990 33,416 Greece 2,972 3,465 3,208 3,776 3,907 4,248 4,076 4,347 5,059 5,582 5,532 Italy 16,806 19,148 19,754 24,752 23,583 24,567 21,185 21,190 20,041 23,458 21,837 Luxembourg 76 81 80 100 106 121 116 124 141 141 129 Netherlands 6,502 6,744 6,402 7,429 7,242 7,871 7,039 7,090 8,181 7,850 6,888 Portugal 1,135 1,261 1,319 1,711 2,006 2,415 2,241 2,281 2,819 2,601 2,559 Spain 5,738 7,319 7,700 9,556 9,033 9,620 7,211 7,617 8,464 8,616 7,508 UK 30,859 34,913 33,436 38,433 42,716 43,122 35,257 34,068 34,086 34,526 35,620 524W
Defence expenditure per capita (US $) 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Belgium 420 427 398 474 476 406 374 390 455 417 370 Denmark 416 455 422 508 508 542 522 528 600 589 533 France 623 646 628 759 748 796 738 764 820 794 708 Germany 561 578 550 550 499 530 481 438 509 475 406 Greece 298 347 320 375 388 408 392 417 481 531 526 Italy 294 334 344 430 409 424 365 371 349 409 379 Luxembourg 206 219 211 262 275 312 296 311 365 338 305 Netherlands 447 460 434 497 482 519 461 460 527 504 442 Portugal 111 123 128 165 203 229 226 231 285 262 257 Spain 149 188 196 243 231 246 183 194 216 219 191 UK 544 614 581 670 742 750 608 585 586 587 604
§ Mr. SpellarPlastic baton rounds provide a more effective means of combating physical violence than the rubber bullets they replaced. The increased accuracy of plastic baton rounds also reduces the risk of accidental injury.