HC Deb 08 July 1998 vol 315 c525W
Mr. Sarwar

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many police officers in Scotland are authorised to carry firearms. [49340]

Mr. McLeish

In 1997, the most recent year for which figures are available, there were 723 police officers in Scotland authorised to carry firearms in the strictly limited circumstances covered in guidelines issued by the Secretary of State in 1984.