§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department collates statistics on the number of times each police force has used CS sprays in public since January 1996. [63930]
§ Mr. BoatengThe information is not held centrally.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many studies have been performed into solvents as potential alternatives to CS sprays; which agency or organisation carried out each study; and when each study was completed. [63928]
§ Mr. BoatengA study was commissioned from the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, an agency of the Minister of Defence (DERA CBDE) by the Home Office Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) to compare the toxicology of Methyl Iso-butyl Ketone (MIBK) with other solvents. This study was completed in 1996.
A literature review was commissioned from DERA CBDE by PSDB to consider potential suitable alternative solvents to MIBK. This study was completed in 1997.
PSDB have a programme to identify possible alternative solvents. This work is currently in progress.