Weapons Stolen from the Police (Hansard, 26 March 1998)

HL Deb 26 March 1998 vol 587 cc257-8WA 258WA

§ Lord Burton
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many weapons were stolen from, or unaccounted for by, the British Police in:

(a) England;

(b) Wales:

(c) Scotland;

(d) Northern Ireland,

in each of the past 10 years. [HL996]

§ Lord Williams of Mostyn
The information requested is not readily available for England and Wales or Scotland, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. In relation to Northern Ireland, 86 weapons were stolen from the police or were unaccounted for by them in the years 1988–1998. Numbers, broken down by year, are as follows:

1988 9

1989 13

1990 13

1991 14

1992 3

1993 5

1994 14

1995 6

1996 6

1997 2

1998 (to date) 1.