§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each year since 1980, how many civilians have been shot by police; of those how many were(a) fatally wounded and (b) armed; how many officers were charged in connection with each incident; and how many successful prosecutions ensued in each case. [5480]
§ Mr. DenhamFigures available are for 1991 onwards and are as follows:
Persons shot by police Fatally wounded 1Armed 1991 5 3 5 1992 11 3 11 1993 5 3 5 1994 6 2 6 1995 5 2 3 1996 4 2 2 1997 1 — 1 1998 5 2 3 1999 7 3 6 2000 6 2 6 2001 2 2 2 1 Includes incidents where the person was subsequently found to be in possession of a replica or imitation firearm or in possession of other dangerous weapons (knives, air weapons etc.). The number of officers charged in connection with each case and the number of successful prosecutions, by year of incident, are as follows:
Number of officers charged1 Number of successful prosecutions1 1991 — — 1992 — — 1993 — — 1994 — — 1995 21 2— 1996 — — 1997 — — 1998 34 5— 1999 — — 2000 — — 2001 — — 1 As at 19 July 2001. 2 Murder-one incident 3One for murder and three for misfeasance in public office-same incident 4 Found not guilty 5 All found not guilty
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason no decision has yet been taken in respect of the instigation of disciplinary proceedings against Sussex Police officers involved in the policing operation that involved the fatal shooting of James Ashley. [5474]
§ Mr. DenhamNow that the criminal proceedings against Sussex Police officers involved in the shooting of James Ashley have concluded, it is for the independent Police Complaints Authority (PCA) to decide whether disciplinary proceedings should be instituted against any of those officers.
681WSussex police have supplied the PCA with the necessary memorandum to enable the Authority to reach its decision. The PCA has agreed to advise the Force of its decision by 31 August 2001.
Sussex police now await that decision and can take no action until it is forthcoming.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the disciplinary hearing involving the Deputy Chief Constable of Sussex Police in respect of his involvement in the policing operation that involved the fatal shooting of James Ashley is not due to commence until 7 January 2002. [5473]
§ Mr. DenhamThis is a matter for the Sussex Police Authority.
§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent information he has collated on(a) police shootings and (b) the results of PCA inquiries into police shootings, and if he will make a statement. [5909]
§ Mr. DenhamStatistics are published on an annual basis on the number of police operations involving firearms, the number of authorised firearms officers and the number of operations involving armed response vehicles. The number of occasions on which firearms are discharged, and any resulting fatalities, are also recorded.
Information on specific incidents in which shots are discharged, and any subsequent findings or recommendations arising from investigations supervised by the Police Complaints Authority, are carefully considered by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) sub-committee on the Police Use of Firearms. The Home Office is represented on this committee and will consider, in consultation with ACPO, any incidents which give rise to serious concern. Any lessons to be learned from such incidents are subsequently fed into the Manual on the Police Use of Firearms and into police training arrangements.