§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times CS gas has been used by police forces; in how many cases medical attention was required; and how many incidents led to police disciplinary measures. [51083]
§ Mr. MichaelAs the use of CS spray is an operational matter for chief officers, information is not kept centrally about how many times it has been used.
During police trials of CS spray between 1 March and 31 August 1996, in which 3,818 officers carried CS canisters in 16 forces, CS was discharged 726 times. Everyone sprayed with CS, and most of the officers affected by cross-contamination, were seen by a police surgeon, resulting in 585 medical reports being submitted to the trial evaluators. These showed that further treatment was advised for a total of 14 civilians and three officers. The advice ranged from "to attend eye hospital (since previously partially sighted in left eye)" to "should wash face and eye area later". One person was taken directly to hospital and five more treated by a hospital in due course. The data from the trials showed that the risk of injury from CS was less than that from baton use.
Police Complaints Authority figures show that, in the twelve months up to 31 March 1998, one case involving police use of CS resulted in a disciplinary charge, and a further ten in other disciplinary action.