§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the eligibility of European Commission protection officers to carry firearms in the United Kingdom. [67451]
§ Ms QuinThe eligibility of European Commission protection officers to carry firearms in the United Kingdom is the responsibility of the Home Office, and subject to the issuing of a permit by the Metropolitan Police under the authority of the Home Secretary. To date, no such permit has been issued to a Commission protection officer. One would be issued only in exceptional circumstances, and then only if the protection officer were accompanied by an armed Metropolitan Police Special Branch Officer.