§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the policy is on the use of military headwear in Northern Ireland; in what circumstances a local commander would order steel helmets to be worn and on how many occasions such orders have been given since September 1997 broken down by the(a) barracks and (b) regiment from which the patrol was drawn. [83388]
142W
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 11 May 1999]: In August 1997, Headquarters Northern Ireland announced that, as a matter of policy, troops operating in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) would wear regimental headdress instead of helmets, but that local commanders had the discretion to authorise the wearing of helmets for the personal protection of soldiers under their command, taking into account the threat and local operational circumstances. The decisions taken by local commanders as to when they have ordered the wearing of helmets are not held.